Pretty Odd
by Canadino
Summary: Things are shaping up to be pretty odd! We're all Mad as Rabbits! FIN
1. Nine in the Afternoon

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd. Track 2 – Nine in the Afternoon – Panic at the Disco

Chapter One – Nine in the Afternoon

It all started with a sock.

Well, technically had it been any other day, Keiko Asakura wouldn't have been so mad. After all, it wasn't like she wasn't picking up her younger son's white and gray socks every other day anyway. But today had been especially challenging. It wasn't easy being a kindergarten teacher, what with kids these days. Throwing paint and eating paste…and that was only the first hour. Not only that, during her supposed peaceful lunch break, she had found her out her archeologist husband, Mikihisa (or Mickey for short) was staying back at his site for a few more weeks because he had discovered 'some fantastic find'. After practically screaming at her husband for an hour for not being at home for more than a minute, Keiko had discovered one of her students had flown off the swings during recess and now his parent was already threatening a lawsuit…

You get the idea.

So maybe the sight of a sock hanging off the banister wasn't very welcoming.

Keiko grabbed the apparel that goes on your foot and stomped up the stairs. "ASAKURA YOH! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Here, mom!" called a voice from a room to her left. The voice was offhanded and Keiko knew the owner of the voice was probably not even listening.

And as she predicted, she walked right into her son eating a Twinkie reading Rolling Stones in his messy room. Keiko nearly bristled as she saw the stacks of unwashed clothing and the messed up bed from twelve and a day nights ago. The bookshelf was dusty with nonuse and there was practically filth everywhere. Not to mention her good-for-nothing son hadn't even combed his hair from last night. Asakura Yoh looked up at his mother, yellow snack in mouth and backed away, brown eyes wide as dinner plates. "Hmmf?" he managed.

And he had good reason to. Keiko looked this close to exploding.

"How many times have I told you NOT to leave your clothes everywhere?" she screamed, waving the sock in the air. Her anger seemed magnified in the tiny room and Yoh let the magazine drop out of his hands. "First of all, you're already twenty-three, fresh out of collage, and you dare to INSIST to keep living at home? How does that make you feel?"

"Um…I love my family?" Yoh guessed, nearly choking on his hastily swallowed bite of Twinkie.

"NO! You are LAZY, young man, and I know if your father was home, he'd whup your little sorry ass!" Yoh cringed. When his mother swore, it meant she was ready to bite your throat. "I'm embarrassed to say that my son lives with me! YOU should have your own job and your own place! Hao's already out of here and although, yes, I miss your older brother, he's already by himself! What about YOU?"

"Hao's older than me," Yoh protested.

"By only FIVE minutes!" Keiko shouted, throwing the sock into Yoh's face. "That's it. I'm tired of cooking your meals and washing your clothes while you add NOTHING to his household! You're leaving. I don't care where. You're going somewhere, just NOT HERE!"

"But mom!" Keiko paid him no mind as she turned and slammed the door behind her.

Yoh let out a sigh of relief. This had happened before, but his mother hadn't been too angry that time. He'd let it all pass and lay low and after a while, his mother would be hugging him again and hopefully buy another box of Twinkies.

…

"I'm home," Yoh called out, walking into the house. Strangely enough, his mother had been all for his evening walk. He liked to take walks around the neighborhood before dinner. Sure, he was accompanied by some old folks, but during these times, he could let his mind wander to the ends of the world and he didn't have to worry about his mother whining about his nonproductivity. And the only thing to worry about was getting run over by a car. And that didn't happen…

Often.

Usually, Keiko would scold him for wasting his time and force him to stay home and help make dinner, but today, she couldn't get him out of the house fast enough. Yoh thought nothing of it, but should have figured that her absence from the kitchen was a bad thing.

One toe in his room and he knew why. His room was empty, void of EVERYTHING even the carpet which had been thrown out. All the posters were off the walls and the clothes and belongings were packed into boxes, one of which Keiko was currently sitting on with a smug look on her face.

"You couldn't come home faster, could you?" she asked with a pure evil look on her face. Yoh stared around. "All my stuff…"

"Don't worry. I didn't throw out anything, not even the half-eaten chicken sandwich I found buried under those papers." Keiko pointed to a blank spot where the pile had been. She tapped the side of the boxes. "All in here."

"Thanks for cleaning my room, mom, but you didn't have to put them all in boxes…" Yoh trailed off. "Where's my _bed_?"

"Oh, in the guest room." Keiko smiled. "I hate to break it to you, Yoh, but you're moving out."

Before Yoh could even utter a word, the boxes were thrust into his hands and with a pat and kiss, was sent to the curb. With a loud click, Yoh turned to the locked front door.

Damn it.

…

Yoh glanced up briefly as he sat on the rumpled couch. A glare was shot in his direction.

"Hi, Ren."

A steely glance replied without a word. Yoh turned back to the television. Horokeu (or Horo, really) Usui, his high school friend, really liked going out with strange people. After collage, Yoh had returned to find that his doctor bound friend was currently going out with someone. He hadn't expected Horo to be batting for the other team, but he seemed happy so Yoh wasn't complaining. But really…someone like Tao Ren? Sure, he was hot, but he had such an attitude.

But honestly, he shouldn't be complaining. He was intruding enough. After his mom had kicked him out, Yoh had arrived at Horo's door step, almost begging for mercy. He knew Horo would be busy, what with medical school and all, but he figured their friendship would be enough to give him a boost. And Horo was kindhearted. Horo's family hadn't been rich enough to send him to a nice collage (unlike Yoh being a Yale grad), but he worked hard and was now going to earn his PhD any time soon.

Horo walked in after Ren. "Hey, Yoh!"

"Hey, Horo." Yoh blinked as he noticed Ren give Horo a long glance before disappearing into the bedroom. Horo looked a little awkward and stood watching the Asakura watch television.

"Listen, buddy…" Horo took a deep breath. "You gotta get out of here."

Yoh turned, eyes reminiscent of a deer in headlights. "What?" He glanced at the open bedroom door and nodded toward it, mouthing, "Ren?"

"No," Horo insisted, but his eyes were nodding. "I got my own place…and I think you should too. I mean, you've been camping out here for a month already…"

"And I'm a good roommate!" Yoh protested. "I'm barely around when you and Ren are…you know…and I DON'T eat your ice cream!"

"I know that, and I'm glad you're not, but still!" Horo looked pleading. "Listen," he said, lowering his voice, "Ren thinks you're just going to freeload until I become like your mother or something."

"Why doesn't he like me?" Yoh whispered back. "I didn't do anything to him."

"Remember two weeks ago?"

Yoh frowned. "Dude, I apologized. I didn't mean to spill milk on his shirt."

"First of all, when it comes to Ren, you don't mess with milk. Second comes his clothes. I thought I told you this!"

"Sorry!" Yoh winced.

"I feel for you, man," Horo continued in the low voice. "I mean, if my folks kicked me out, I know you'd let me in. And I don't mind sharing my place with you…but really. You should get your own place, even if Ren wasn't forcing me to kick you out. And he's right. Yoh, you're old enough to get your own place."

Yoh looked crestfallen. "Nothing I say will make you let me stay?"

"Sorry dude. It's either you or Ren, and you know how he gets…"

Yoh nodded. "He might be a complete jerk, but you like him and I'm okay with that. I'll get out of your face."

Thus, back on the curb. Ren's face was quite similar to his mother's as he walked past him on his way out.

…

HOW did he get this awesome place?

Yoh opened the door and kicked a box into the apartment. Seriously, with his luck, he should be buying lottery tickets. Lady Luck was on his side these days.

A week ago, he had been sentenced to the curb. As he was wandering around with his cartload of stuff, he noticed a newspaper clipping at the community center. Bingo! A four hundred dollar a month apartment! Grabbing the paper like it was a million dollars, Yoh scanned the page for a sham. The address seemed legit. The picture was black and white and it didn't look so nice, but it was a four hundred dollar a month apartment! Yoh couldn't choose. He had a thousand bucks currently and could probably pay two months rent as he tried to find a job. It was close to the city.

But really? A four hundred dollar apartment? Yoh wasn't quite sure he believed it, and even more so as he walked up to the place, which happened to a nice, expensive looking high rise apartment. He knew he was screwed as he walked in and saw two flat screen T.Vs in the lobby and a fireplace. Not your everyday Motel 6. He figured he would just see the apartment manager and tell him or her about this fake ad and just hit the high road.

It was a bit difficult, however, since the manager was a seventy year old woman desperately in need of a hearing aid.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes of shouting, Yoh managed to get the story. The ad wasn't supposed to say four hundred dollars. It was supposed to be _forty_ hundred dollars. Four grand. A month. The old lady guessed that the paper had heard her wrong. Yoh apologized quickly for wasting her time and made to leave, but the lady had noticed Yoh's condition and asked him to tell her what had happened.

So he did.

Yoh's grandparents hadn't been very…well…grandparenty. His grandpa had thrown stones at him every time he visited to 'build character' and his grandmother had ordered him to polish the floors. And of course, they had to live in the biggest house in the country. So he was a bit surprised that the old woman 'pulled a grandma' and offered him the apartment for only four hundred a month. Was he going to say no?

Come on. Yoh could be stupid, but he wasn't _that_ stupid.

So now here he was. Yoh surveyed the apartment, the empty living room and kitchen and was struck with how movie-like it was. It was like he walked onto a set. This was probably where movies were shot. Probably. After a second, Yoh realized he had left all his boxes of stuff in the hallway.

After pulling all his shit into the apartment, he took another breath and decided to tour his new place. The bedroom was much better than the closet he slept in at Horo's. The bathroom actually had enough room to move in. Maybe if he put his bed in the bathroom, he could actually live there. The bathtub itself was big enough for two people…should that ever happen. Yoh felt his mood drop as he realized although he had gotten this huge big great deal, if he didn't get a job, this place wouldn't be staying in his life.

After unpacking and throwing away the chicken sandwich, Yoh found out he had enough furniture to fill about…

Oh, maybe one tenth of the apartment.

Milk crate sofa…milk crate coffee table…oh boy!

Yoh looked upon his sorry place and wished it didn't look so empty. Sighing, he turned and discovered, after being in this apartment for nearly two hours, that there was a balcony. Letting his curiosity get a hold of him, he walked over and slid open the sliding doors. A nice warm summer breeze blew into the place and Yoh stepped onto the landing. Used to the tiny rooms he lived in before, this balcony was about the size of a dance floor to Yoh. Made of entirely white stone, Yoh walked over to the edge and stared out at the city. The buildings rose toward the sky and seemed full of promise. Yoh smiled and the wind seemed to blow some luck toward him.

"Hello. New here?"

Yoh started and looked around. To his left was an empty balcony. To his right was…a garden? He couldn't help but stare at the greenery. Hanging from the door was at least two ferns. There were two potted palm trees reaching toward the skies. Flowers and bushes of all shapes and sizes littered the balcony in an organized fashion, like it was a part of the queen of England's garden. It was like a square of garden had been cut out of a magazine and pasted onto the white balcony, almost hidden by the green hanging vines. Sitting smack dab in the middle of his nature was someone with green hair that rivaled the grass around him. With those curves and that flawless face, Yoh had assumed this was a young woman. She was sitting on a white lawn chair, holding a novel in one hand and a bottle of citrus green tea in the other. On her face, covering her eyes, was a pair of stylish Jimmy Choo sunglasses, although she really didn't need them in the shade of her plants.

Giving this pretty lady another look down, Yoh noticed that for all her curves and feminine demeanor, the curves weren't _that _obvious and there were places that jutted out that shouldn't and places that were flat that were not supposed to. This person was as guy as he was. Yoh swallowed with his mistake, hoping the other hadn't noticed.

"Who are you?"

"I'm your neighbor." A small smile graced the features of this girly boy and Yoh was struck with how young he was. Probably still in college, if not graduating high school by now.

"I'm Yoh. Asakura Yoh."

"Japanese, are we?" Jade green eyes looked over the rims of the shades, twinkling with innocence. The smile grew a little. "Nice to meet you." The green disappeared as the eyes fell back down to the pages of the book.

"Um…what's your name?"

"Why do you want to know?" The eyes darted up again, the smile still lingering on his face.

"Because. You're my neighbor. Shouldn't I know your name at least?"

"Not really. I don't like giving out my name to people I don't know."

Yoh stared at him. "What do you want to know about me?"

"Everything." The book was placed on top of a bush, cut completely flat on the top. Swirling the contents of the green tea bottle, the greenette stared at him over the rims of the Jimmy Choo sunglasses.

"Alright. My name is Asakura Yoh, I'm twenty three, I graduated from Yale last year, majoring a bachelor's degree in physics…uhm…I have an older twin brother…I like orange, both the color and the fruit…I like music and I got these from said brother on my fourteenth birthday…" Yoh tapped the weathered orange retro headphones on his head. "My dad got me this from some dig he went on…he's an archaeologist…" He pulled on the twine around his neck connecting three bear claws. "What else…" He glanced over at the listener, who had taken off his glasses. Without the huge fashion shades on, Yoh was struck with how much more pretty this person was, looking so young he could be called a boy. The green eyes were giving him a lookdown, as if they were looking for something they had missed the first time around.

"Okay…"

"Um…" It was a bit weird to share his life story with someone he didn't even know. "I don't believe in worrying…"

"You don't believe in worrying?" There was a hint of laughter in the disbelieving voice.

"Don't judge me," Yoh said, frowning. "I don't think life's long enough to worry about the little things, that's it."

"What are…'little things'?" The smile was starting to grow.

"I don't know…like taxes."

"Yoh, if you don't pay taxes, the government's going to make sure you have hell to pay!" The boy's laughter filled both balconies.

"Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm sorry." But this didn't seem very apologetic.

Yoh cocked his head. "You have an accent."

"So do you."

"Are you from England?"

"What part?"

Yoh considered this. "Manchester?"

"Nope."

"London."

"Good job!" The tinkly laughter rang out again and Yoh bristled.

"You don't need to mock me!" he protested. "You don't even know me."

"I'm sorry." This time, it sounded genuine, but Yoh had a hard time believing those mischievous eyes. "I'm sorry," he said again, "It's just I'm a little rude to people I don't really know. But I guess I do know you quite a bit now."

"Good." Yoh paused again. "So what's your name?"

"My name? It's Eduardo Michael Smithsonian." As Yoh gave him a funny look, Eduardo laughed. "I'm kidding, my name's Lyserg. Lyserg Diethyl. I'm twenty and I'm a transfer student from England." Lyserg smiled. "And I'm a guy."

"I figured."

"So you're not trying to come on to me?"

"No!" Yoh insisted.

"So you're not interested in being any more than a friend with me?"

"Well, I don't even know you and besides…what you said. You're a guy." Yoh thought he saw the jade green become a bit murkier as the smile grew.

"Alright then!" The shades slid back up onto the angelic face. "I'll see you later then. Nice meeting you."

"Yeah, you too…" Yoh gave him another look but Lyserg was already back reading his book again. Not giving it another thought, Yoh walked back into his apartment, distantly hearing the wind chimes from his neighbor's balcony. Maybe its chimes were to blame, but he thought he heard his neighbor murmur, "Jerk…", but he couldn't be sure.

…

Lyserg stretched as the summer sun started to set over the buildings, his metropolitan horizon. Today had been quite eventful, with a new neighbor and all. He set the book on the bush again, with no worries of it being blown over the balcony. Sliding his sunglasses onto his head, he drained the bottle with a small slurp and just as he stood to throw it away, heard his doorbell ring.

"I'm coming!" he called, nearly tripping on the towel beneath the lawn chair in haste. The baggy Bermudas he wore hung off his skinny waist well (sometimes called girly, actually) and he stumbled through the books and clothes left on the living room floor. Flinging the bottle into the trash can with a crash, he nearly collided with the door as he peered through the peephole. Brown eyes appeared, with a hint of a smile on the face he had gotten to know.

"I'm here!" He unlocked the door and let the guest in. Brown hair swayed behind the figure entering the apartment. Turning with a smirk, the guest faced Lyserg, who was watching him with shining green eyes as he closed the door. "Hello…" the deep voice made Lyserg shiver with excitement; he loved it whenever he came over. Leaning down to kiss Lyserg on the cheek, somehow the lips migrated until they found a matching pair.

"Hey…hey…" Lyserg broke out of the kiss with a smile, staring into the preoccupied cocoa eyes. "Listen…listen…"

"I'm listening."

"Do you have a brother?"

The preoccupied eyes became confused. "Yes, why?"

"How old is he?"

"My brother? Oh, much younger. He's a little kid."

"Really?" Lyserg's face fell and the guest tilted the greenette's face so their eyes could meet again, making the younger of the two giggle. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Lyserg let his hand rest on the other's. "It's just…I've got a new neighbor, that's it. But he's a jerk. He could never be related to you."

"A jerk?" The honey smooth voice suddenly sharpened. "Why? Was he rude to you?"

"Don't beat him up!" Lyserg laughed. "I can handle him. He's just intolerant and a bit slow."

"Intolerant?"

"I told him I was a guy, since a lot of people seem to mistake me for a girl…"

"You have the kind of beauty most girls would die for." Lyserg let a shy smile cross his face and felt a shadow of a flush flutter across his cheeks. Such a flatterer. "Anyway, I told him not to hit on me and he said he'd never do that because he didn't know me and I was a guy."

The brown eyes became blank for a moment. "What a jerk."

"I know, right?" Lyserg smiled. "But who cares about him. There are a lot of jerks out there. So what do you want to do now?"

Note: although I only got two actual reviews, I'm guessing by the 33 hits (last time I checked) that some may have looked it over…so…here…goes! Another multi chap fic! More stress for me! More fun for you! Read and review, thanks!


	2. She's a Handsome Woman

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd. – Track 3 – She's a Handsome Woman – Panic at the disco

I do not own any of Panic at the Disco's tracks or albums. I say this because I read that songfics are technically not allowed. But it's background music and inspiration for me. The Pretty. Odd. Album is a very nice tune for this whole fanfic. I advise you to listen to it while reading. Finally the plot line gets a bit interesting here. Not for little kids, some parts, some content. I doubt any of you are bothered, though. I finally figured out some of the pairings for the rest of the fic: YohLysHao, YohxTamao, RenxHoro…Anna will be thrown in somewhere but at the moment it's still a bit fuzzy. These are the solid couplings I have at the moment. More info at the end.

Chapter Two – She's a Handsome Woman

Yoh woke up groggy. Wondering vaguely why he felt so sore, he glanced down at his makeshift bed, which happened to be a lumpy futon on top of the boxes his stuff had been in. He had a tiny bed in the middle of a huge bedroom with a bay window. How appropriate. He sat up and rubbed his head in effort to make it better.

Shuffling into the kitchen, Yoh glanced over to the empty living room, save a box for a table and a fold up chair. God, this was pathetic. He felt even more so as he opened the fridge and was met with nothing but some Arm n' Hammer odor removal. Groaning, he closed it again and grabbed his keys. Looks like he was going to go shopping.

After he changed, he decided, after opening the door adorned in nothing but boxers and an ACDC T-shirt.

He was really going to explore this place after he got the time, Yoh figured, the elevator opened into the lobby. He'd just pulled on a pair of faded jeans and threw a black hoodie over the ACDC shirt. Not very presentable, but who was really going to look at him? Walking past a well lit room, Yoh figured he may as well check his mailbox since he just walked past it. Entering the little doorless room, Yoh found himself no longer alone.

Lyserg was standing in front of an open box, key still in keyhole, shuffling through the various mail and junk and advertisements. He glanced up as Yoh walked up to him and unlocked the box next to his. This exchange happened in complete silence and Yoh opened the mailbox to find nothing but emptiness. He turned as he heard Lyserg stifle a laugh.

Shutting the box again, Yoh continued looking at Lyserg, who was determinedly going through his mail without making eye contact, a teasing smile already on his face again. "Alright…so maybe our first impressions were too great…"

"_Our_ first impressions?" Lyserg asked, not looking up. "I think I made mine pretty well."

Yoh frowned. "Why did you call me a jerk yesterday?"

Lyserg looked up, confusion clouding his bright eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Yesterday. When I went back inside you called me a jerk."

The confusion was replaced with laughter. "You heard that? And you _remembered_ that? Were you thinking about that all night?"

"No. I just want to know what you don't like about me."

"It's not that I don't like you," Lyserg said calmly. "It's just you're intolerant, that's it."

"Intolerant?"

"Yeah. You said you'd never go out with me since I was a guy. So you're a homophobe," Lyserg concluded. Yoh widened his eyes. "I never said that!"

"Then why did you say it like you did?"

"It's just…I'm okay with gay people," Yoh said awkwardly. "It's just…I don't bat for that team." He paused and looked at Lyserg. "Why? Do you?"

"So this would be awkward for you?" Lyserg asked mischievously. He reached out and slid a hand up Yoh's arm. Feeling a little dizzy in his stomach, Yoh backed away for a second. Lyserg smiled, leaning up toward him. "So it's awkward, right?" He leaned even closer, teasing Yoh's mouth with his own. Without missing a beat, Yoh's body seemed to move of its own accord and sealed off the distance between their mouths, jumping right to the rhythm. If Lyserg was surprised, he sure didn't show it as he responded. Ooh…he didn't know Yoh was such a good kisser. Their mouths matched perfectly, like puzzle pieces. Suddenly the mailroom seemed too ridiculously hot. Where was the AC? Of course, that was the last thing on Yoh's mind as he pushed Lyserg against the wall in order to try and explore the Brit's mouth better.

Alright, so maybe the mailroom didn't have a door, but this early in the morning, no one was probably going to be up anyway.

"Mmm…" God, he was just getting turned on by just Lyserg's moans. This particular greenette was _hot_, Yoh would give him that. What, can't a guy call another guy hot without being gay? Or make out with him for that matter? It's the 2000s. Besides, girls dig that kind of thing anyway. Somehow Yoh's hand found its way under Lyserg's shirt and Lyserg's arms were linked around Yoh's neck. It was pretty scandalous few minutes before Yoh finally broke away, breathing heavily, staring down at the floor to avoid the green eyes looking for his. Lyserg was still pinned to the wall, Yoh's hands on either side of him, keeping him in place.

"So…" Yoh said slowly, catching his breath.

"So." Lyserg ducked out from under Yoh's arm as if nothing unusual had happened. "Well. I've got to get going. It's summer and I'm a collage student." With a parting smile, Lyserg walked out of the mailroom.

…

Unbeknownst to him, someone _had_ been watching.

Sometimes she wondered if any other job could be this rewarding. Maybe if she had been a CEO she would have made more money, or maybe being a lawyer would have made her middle ages much more fun. Being a landlady to a rich apartment complex wasn't exactly boring…but it could use some drama.

Looks like she made a great choice in the new tenant.

Sitting across the security camera screen, watching the new tenant acting as if nothing had happened, Ms. Agatha Perverte smiled as she took a sip of her chamomile tea.

…

Job hunting could be difficult business, Yoh realized. Maybe he had been too quick to say he didn't believe in worrying.

He scoured the paper looking for as good as a deal as his apartment had been, but all the ads looked either boring or sketchy. His mother had warned him over again never to use online job applications, saying that anyone who used that were scam artists or losers. So Yoh was back to the traditional prowl.

It was a nice day outside Starbucks. Yoh sat at an open table, searching for job applications. Lady luck seemed to have dropped him for a more attractive and wealthy man. Finally dropping the newsprint onto the empty table, Yoh stretched, staring up into the sky past the umbrella and shade of the potted plants. Even in this part of the city, there was a patch of blue sky and cloud just for him. Feeling himself starting to loose touch with reality, Yoh's posture began to slip and his eyes started to glaze over.

"Um, excuse me, sir."

Yoh jumped and sat up. An employee had come up to him, wearing a white blouse and a black apron over an identically black pencil skirt. Her pink hair was tied back with a lacy black headband, concern on her face. "Excuse me, sir," she said even more quietly as she realized she had startled him. "But…do you want anything?"

"Me? Oh, no…" Yoh glanced at her nametag, glittering gold on the apron. "No thanks…Tamao."

"Um…sir?"

"Yes?"

Tamao glanced toward the tinted front window glass nervously. "Um…sir…you can't loiter here without ordering something…it's bad for business."

Yoh recognized the look when he saw it. It was the look of someone who was speaking for someone else, a higher up. He had seen the same anxious look on Horo's face when he was kicked out. Tamao was exhibiting those exact signs, glancing nervously inside while radiating an air that she couldn't care either which way if her life didn't just depend on it.

"Oh…sorry…" Yoh didn't feel like moving. Not when he had paid that much for a cab to get near here. "Is there anything on the menu that's below a dollar?"

"Um…coffee creamers. They're five for seventy-five cents."

"Holy…" Yoh muttered, pulling out his wallet. "I'll have five then. And bring me a cup."

Tamao's eyes widened. "You don't…"

Yoh nodded, a sheepish smile on his face. "I'll drink coffee creamers."

At once, Tamao snapped into waitress mode. "Alright, sir, what flavor?"

"Flavor?"

"There's regular, hazelnut, or vanilla."

"Um…hazelnut, please."

"Good choice, right away, sir!" Tamao said, sounding rather like a nervous army soldier. Her voice sounded high and confident but her eyes betrayed the status of a newbie. She walked inside and didn't return for a few minutes. When she did, she held a plate of five coffee creamers and nearly dropped the cup onto the sidewalk. Her anxiety was back.

"What happened?" Yoh asked, taking the cup and ripping open the first coffee creamer.

"Nothing!" Tamao said quickly, her voice on a rather high octave. After a while, she caved and sank down on the chair across from him. "It's just…my boss…he was pressuring me to make you get out. He thought you were up to no good. And then when he found out you ordered coffee creamers he thought you manipulated me and told me I was too naïve…"

Yoh put the empty coffee creamers back on the plate. "So shouldn't you go back to doing your job?"

"I'm on break now," Tamao groaned, looking positively miserable. With a sigh, she buried her head in her arms, the headband sliding up her head. "It's so hard," she confessed. "It's only my fifth day here and everyone's giving me such a hard time…oh, I'm sorry, I know you don't care…"

"Nn, it's okay," Yoh said, taking a sip of the coffee creamers, which didn't even fill up a tenth of the cup. Oh…liquid Lucky Charms. "Listen…about your boss…"

"No, please don't give me a bad review!" Tamao gasped, her head popping up from her arms. "It was my fault, I was being slow and I shouldn't have told you to leave so rudely! It was my fault! Oh…um…but that doesn't mean you need to report me! I mean…"

"Relax, I'm not going to report you," Yoh said quickly. "It's just…I'm new around here."

Tamao stared at him. "Me too. I moved here a few weeks ago for collage. Are you a collage student too?"

"No. I graduated from Yale last year. Besides the point. I need a job."

"Sorry," Tamao said, looking as if it had been her fault. "But I filled in the last opening."

Yoh sighed. "Well, first come first served, I guess. But I really need a job if I want to keep my place."

Tamao looked at him for a minute. "Well, I do know a place which needs some help…"

Yoh's face brightened up. "Really? Tell me!"

Tamao faltered for a minute. "Well…it's a few minutes from here…and it just opened so I can't guarantee it'll be around for a long time…but it's a smoothie store…it's called Smooth E on Twenty-Second Street…you can't miss it. It's got that big white E for a logo. But I think it'll be just fine!" Tamao insisted, determination in her voice. "Cause…cause…I tried it a few days ago and it's really good…" She slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oops! I mean, it wasn't as good as here…" Wilting with defeat, Tamao settled for drowning in regret and embarrassment.

"Really…" Yoh glanced down the street. "Well, I'll try my luck there, thanks!" He drained the liquid Lucky Charms and stood up. "I really shouldn't be splurging my money like this…" He handed the dejected pinkette a five dollar tip. Tamao's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No, sir, I don't need that much! I only got you some coffee creamers!"

"And a really nice cup," Yoh said, gesturing toward the white porcelain cup. "And don't call me sir…it sounds weird. My name's Yoh. Asakura Yoh."

"Oh…" Tamao hesitated before taking the money. She was going to protest, but she need the money so she couldn't protest _that_ much. "I'm Tamao. Tamao Tamamura. Does you telling me your name mean I'm going to see you again?" Her face brightened in spite of her bad day.

"I guess," Yoh said, scratching his head. "I like this Starbucks." He noticed Tamao's expression fall for a second. "Oh, you mean see you outside of work?"

"No!" Tamao's face blushed. After a while, she slowly nodded. "Well…yes." She stared up at him. "Um…well…not on a date or anything. But I don't know many people here and you seem like a nice person. Besides, someone like you's already got someone in mind, don't you?" A shy smile flitted across her face.

"I'm single if that's what you're asking," Yoh said slowly. "But now you mention it…"

"I knew it!" Tamao shouted, as if she were cheering on a sports team. She crumpled with embarrassment as everyone outside turned to look at her. "Um…is she pretty?"

"She's…" Yoh paused to find the right words. "She's a handsome woman."

…

Ding. The door made a welcome note as Yoh entered Smooth E. Okay, could the logo be anymore tacky? Around the bubbly E was a banana and a peach with sophisticated expressions. Smooth E indeed. But the atmosphere in the place was nice. There were bright colors inside that somehow raised your mood but you didn't know why. The chairs and tables were very seventies but seemed to make the place seem more like home. The prices were written in pretty chalk on a chalkboard and fresh fruit was displayed on the counter. This place seemed to also make cakes, as there was a freezer with other pastries inside. There were blenders and cartons of ice cream also on the counter, and presently was also…

"Lyserg. I didn't know you worked here."

Lyserg jumped, having being interrupted while reading a magazine. "Did you stalk me?"

"Hello to you too."

"Great, giving me a heart attack!" Lyserg shot, looking a little insulted. "What do you want?"

Yoh pointed to the HELP WANTED sign in the front window. Lyserg's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No. No, Yoh, no way. You're not working with me…"

"Is there a problem?" A man appeared from the back, wiping his hands with a towel. Yoh's eyes widened. "What are you doing here, onii-chan?"

The man and Lyserg gave him a funny look. "Who's onii-chan?" Lyserg asked, a funny tone in his voice.

"Oh…" This wasn't his older brother. On the contrary, this man was much older than him. Too old to be his twin. But this man had similar long black hair…but a friendly face. Not the scheming smirk he was used to from his older twin. The man put the towel on the counter, bringing attention to bright brass rings on his fingers. He was wearing a white apron with fruit smears on it, similar to Lyserg's spotless one. "Hello. Is there a problem?"

"No. I'm just…I'm just here to apply for a job." Yoh ignored the feverish shakes of Lyserg's head just outside the man's peripheral sight.

"Oh! Okay…" The man stared at him for a moment. "Do I know you?"

"I don't think so. My name's Yoh. Asakura Yoh."

The man turned to Lyserg, who shrugged lightly. The man shrugged in reply and turned back to Yoh. "Well, Yoh, do you have any experience in the smoothie making business?"

"No sir."

"Silva. My name's Silva." The man tugged at his long hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. Yoh stared. Just slap a pair of glasses and this man could easily be his father. He found it ridiculous that they weren't related. But no matter.

"Yoh." Silva looked him up and down. "You can be taught, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you have people skills?"

Ignoring the slow shaking of Lyserg's head, Yoh nodded, and for good measure, grinned. Silva responded with a grin of his own. "Well, you seem like a friendly fellow and we're really in need for help, so unless you're a mass murderer or you're a rapist, you're hired!"

"Rapist…" Lyserg muttered.

"Thanks!" Yoh said, grinning more broadly. "So when can I start?"

"Now's fine." Silva turned to Lyserg. "Where's your make out partner?"

Make out partner? Yoh turned to Lyserg confusedly and saw the greenette was looking away embarrassedly. "Um…he's busy these few weeks…"

"Too bad! If he were here, the sight of you two makin' out every five minutes wouldn't be such a shock to Yoh after he's used to normality!" Silva chuckled and turned to Yoh. "There's only one other person who works here, you kids, and these two are tight like this!" He crossed his fingers. "They're barely separated from the mouth. You wouldn't believe it!"

"Really?" Yoh asked, cursing quietly to hear his voice quiver for a second. Silva didn't notice anything, however, and waved Yoh to the back. "We'll get the stuff in the back, Yoh."

Yoh nodded as he crossed over the counter. Silva had disappeared into the backroom and Yoh passed Lyserg. "You never told me you were already going out with someone," he muttered.

"I'm not," Lyserg said softly. Yoh actually did a double take. Was this modest little answer coming from the brattiest little collage student in the world? Apparently it was, since said person was staring at the floor, a healthy flush on his face. Deciding to drop the subject, Yoh followed Silva into the backroom, which was pretty much a storage room with a table and fridge in a corner for an 'employee room'. It was a bit sad, but it was new store, so Yoh wasn't expecting much. Lots of freezers. It was a tad cold.

"Here's your shirt and here's your apron," Silva announced, shoving a Smooth E shirt into Yoh's hands and a black apron. "You can where whatever pants you want. What you have on is fine." Silva looked Yoh up and down. "I'll let you change." He walked into the front as Yoh shed his hoodie and ACDC shirt for the Smooth E shirt and apron. God it was cold back here. As he walked toward the storeroom door, he heard snatches of quiet conversation.

"…not a joke?"

"No, I saw him yesterday," Lyserg whispered. "It's not him. He's…Yoh…my neighbor. He moved here yesterday or something. He's a Yale grad."

"Lives in the same apartment building?" Silva sounded surprised.

Lyserg must have nodded because Silva continued in that low voice. "Did something happen cause he was checking you out if I wasn't mistaken."

"Nothing happened," Lyserg insisted. "And everyone checks me out."

Yoh rolled his eyes. Hot, bratty…_and_ arrogant. Lyserg was a chockfull of personality.

"I suppose, since you do have _him_…" Yoh took this as a cue to step out from the room. Silva turned, and Yoh noticed they were discussing near the freezer. "Yoh! You look professional already!" Lyserg was looking at him with an expression of discomfort. Yoh glanced away. He had a job now. He was going to make sure he was busy enough so nothing so small such as this would distract him.

…

If only the place got any customers. The only person to come in was an old lady who looked oddly familiar but Yoh couldn't place her with a veil and sunglasses. Not to mention she was grinning so oddly at the two of them behind the counter. Silva stretched from the corner of the store.

"Lunch break!" he shouted.

"It's only eleven," Lyserg started, but Silva shook his head.

"I know lunch when I see it! I'm closing the store for a bit and I'll get us all Subway! Don't wait up!" Without wasting a beat, Silva hit the high road and the door gave a friendly jangle as the sign flipped to 'We'll be back at Twelve' and their boss left. Lyserg stared at the door in disbelief before sighing exasperatedly and walking into the backroom.

"Never working," Lyserg muttered, as Yoh followed him. "No wonder this place is dying." Ignoring Yoh behind him, Lyserg collapsed in a chair next to the 'employee' table. Seeing as the chair in front of him was a bit broken by the fact that one leg was almost gone, Yoh fell into the seat next to Lyserg. The two shared an awkward silence along with the hum of the freezers.

"Yoh…" Yoh glanced up and noticed Lyserg absentmindedly picking at the table. "Listen…about this morning…it didn't really mean anything…"

"Well, obviously, since you're going out with someone," Yoh shot back. Lyserg winced.

"I'm _not_. You have to believe me."

"So you just kissed me for no good reason?"

"Not…really." Lyserg glanced up at him. "You liked it didn't you?"

Yoh seemed to blank out for a second and in that second, he didn't seem to remember what could possibly have happened, since the next moment he came to, he was almost on top of Lyserg on that stupid little chair, connected as what Silva would have called it… 'by the mouth'. Again, Lyserg wasn't resisting, and if Yoh could read body language just a little, the Brit was responding quite enthusiastically to his advances. After all, someone not consenting to this wouldn't have let him lift him onto the table, where Lyserg threw his arms around Yoh's neck to steady himself. Anyone walking in the door would have heard heavy breathing and a few sounds escaping here and there from Lyserg's mouth, but what's a sign for if it doesn't stop anyone?

Normally, thought Yoh, he wouldn't grab life like this, but he was out of collage. The world was waiting for him and before he did something constructive, he may as well do something stupid. So he wasn't really thinking…after all, he wasn't completely on board the dude train, since he had thought Tamao was pretty cute, but something just felt right with Lyserg. So what if the Londoner had someone else. Something (hormones, namely) was addling with his mind and he was just getting light headed.

Lyserg broke away. "How long can you hold your breath?" he asked breathlessly. Yoh smirked rather un-Yoh-like. "Well, you've taken a breath," he chuckled, before leaning forward to claim the greenette's lips again. Yoh was almost about to climb the table when there was another friendly jingle of the door and Silva's voice rang out. "I'm back!"

Two times and it wasn't even noon yet! Yoh supposed this was payback from life from not getting any during collage. And yet these were like flings, like one-night-stands without the sex. After all, Lyserg was already acting as if nothing had happened and he himself wasn't into guys…

Silva, oblivious to this, made it all worse by asking the worst possible question to even bring up seconds before they started eating. "So…have you all been laid?"

Breaking, shattering, utterly obliviating the meaning of inappropriate behavior at work.

"Cause I have!" He smiled a dazzly and shameless grin at them. Lyserg groaned. "So what about you collage boys?"

"Um, not really," Yoh muttered. Why oh why couldn't they just eat their sandwiches like a normal group of people and Silva…why couldn't Silva feel awkward talking about this? He stared at his sandwich, appetite obviously gone. Lyserg was determinedly trying to avoid the question by suddenly feeling the need to pick off every single bun seed. Silva wouldn't take this silence for an answer, though.

"What about you, Lyserg?" Silva grinned knowingly. "Have you?"

There seemed to be a strangled silence where something along the lines of a groan seemed to escape Lyserg's mouth, making him sound like a choking parrot. If only it had been a funny situation. After holding it off for what seemed to be hours, he replied in a tiny voice. "Yes."

"Really?" Silva's voice rose and fell octaves, very much like a doubting gossiping teen's voice would.

"It was before I came here," Lyserg whispered, and Yoh noticed that he had turned extremely red. How strange for someone who didn't mind making out in the mailroom and now a backroom. By now Lyserg had stopped all possible movement, even looking like he had stopped breathing, in effort to try and melt into the wall.

"Well!" Silva shouted, still oblivious to the vibes screaming "AWKWARD" in the air. "Let's eat, shall we?"

…

Six o' clock and Silva decided to close shop up. Honestly, that man didn't seem concerned that his business was taking a complete dive in the wrong direction. Lyserg and Yoh left together as Silva flipped over the OPEN sign.

They continued down the street in utter silence, Yoh just dying to ask a question but skittering on the edge of appropriateness and courtesy. Lyserg definitely wasn't going to say anything on his own.

"So…today was odd," Yoh started, hearing the awkwardness of his voice. Then again, how can you start a conversation with someone like Lyserg?

"It's like that everyday," Lyserg replied in a low voice. Yoh glanced down, being half a head taller than the Brit. At this height, he couldn't see the green eyes that were staring at the sidewalk.

"Oh! Mr. Asakura!"

The two of them looked up at this call, the voice of a young woman. Yoh blinked as Tamao waved at him across the street and ran across it, regardless of the honking cars driving closer. She passed these vehicles as if she had just walked across an empty lawn and ran up to Yoh, a smile and faint blush on her face. Yoh noticed that without her work clothes, she was quite adorable in his city setting. The black lacy headband was still nestled comfortably in her pink hair. She was wearing a vintage cowboy print baby tee and a jean skirt that Yoh noted was not short enough to be trashy but not long enough to be too prudish. To top it off, she was wearing pink flip-flops that looked too old to function. "It's a surprise to see you again in the same day!"

"Yeah…nice to see you again, Tamao."

Tamao smiled at being recognized, but she didn't easily notice Lyserg, her eyes and senses focused completely on Yoh. And who could blame her, with his easy smile and warm eyes? Only when Lyserg made a motion to keep walking did she break eye contact.

"And…who is this?" Her eyes looked Lyserg up at down, at the figure standing uncomfortably in front of her. For a second, a slight frown crossed her face and her eyes widened in knowledge. "Oh, I know! Yoh, is she your handsome woman?"

Yoh felt Lyserg nearly melt in embarrassment next to him. "Um…no…this is Lyserg. He works with me and he's my neighbor."

Something clicked in Tamao's head and her smile was back again. "Ah! Your neighbor! Well, it's nice to meet you Lyserg! I'm Tamao, and I work at the Starbucks down the street." She pointed over to the Starbucks. "Wow," she continued, staring at him again. "You're very pretty. And you're a boy?"

"I'm in collage," Lyserg said shortly and Yoh was surprised to hear the directness in his voice. But, he supposed, maybe he greeted everyone in that mean kind of way.

"Oh, I didn't mean that. I mean, I'm in collage too! But you're still very pretty," she said, trying to redeem herself. She wasn't sure why Lyserg was looking at her like that. She had only messed up, but it wasn't a very big mistake. He was looking at her with pure hatred, it seemed. Why? He barely knew her!

"Thank you." This seemed so strained that Yoh knew something was up and if he didn't separate these two, a monstrous cat fight would occur, with Tamao being the reluctant opponent.

"Um, we should get going, it's a bit late…" Yoh paused. "Tamao, do you need me to walk you home or something?"

Tamao opened her mouth to agree, but noticed the strange look Lyserg was giving her. The unmistakable 'say-yes-and-die' expression and her mouth zipped shut as she shook her head. "Um…no! No! I'm fine! Completely fine! I take the bus home all the time. And besides it's on the main road so I won't be attacked or anything. I live just a few blocks away…Cloud Apartments?"

"Oh. Right." Yoh had no idea the condition of these apartments, but he saw a flier for them and they seemed to be in a safe neighborhood. "Maybe next time."

"Maybe…" Tamao suddenly felt a great need to get out of the way of this intimidating greenette. "Um…see you two later!"

As Tamao dashed off to the bus stop, Yoh turned to Lyserg. "Why were you being so mean to her?"

"Can't you tell?" Lyserg spat. "I'm mean to everyone I meet."

"Yeah, but you were more teasing with me."

"I don't know. I don't like her much." Lyserg turned and continued home, Yoh at his heels. Yoh was _his_ plaything, _his. _No one was aloud to play with him. This Tamao chick was obviously going to distract Yoh. He liked having a toy at his beck and call.

"Do you know her well?" Lyserg asked.

"I just met her today," Yoh said, surprised at how fast Lyserg was going. "Slow down. We're not in a race."

Slow down? No way! Lyserg turned to Yoh, at his pet who was looking at him with surprised eyes. Well, he'd found a toy that was finally pretty amusing and he wasn't going to lose it to an air headed little girl! He leaned up and gave Yoh a slow, steamy kiss that lasted about as long as a finger snap, giving Yoh a demo of how it would be if he stayed with his current owner. "Let's go."

Yoh stared at Lyserg's retreating figure. Was this boy…jealous?

To be continued…

Note: Oh! So many things. So many. Tamao, first of all. I hate how people portray her as a weak, timid kind of person. The Tamao I have will be aggressive like the Tamao at Funbari No Uta, but still retaining the gentleness of the current Tamao. Wow. I cannot promise you that all the chapters will be this long. Lyserg…wow, such a player, thinking of Yoh as just a toy. I break all clichés and stereotypes. I hate those.

ULTIMO! THE LATEST ART BY HIROYUKI TAKEI! _MORE INFORMATION COMING IN IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ANSWERED_


	3. Do You Know What I'm Seeing?

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd. Track 4 – Do You Know What I'm Seeing? – Panic at the disco

Chapter Three – Do You Know What I'm Seeing?

Lyserg woke up to the sound of softly pattering rain. Ag, he hated rainy days. They always made him so depressed and a bit slow. And today he had to go to work…seriously; it was the middle of summer. Shouldn't the weather have gotten the memo? He slid out of bed, plaid red pajama pants, two sizes too big tank top and all. Hair mussed up to the point of not caring, Lyserg shuffled down the hallway to the living room.

A smile flitted across his face as he noticed the familiar head of rumpled brown hair peeking out from the couch. Said person was asleep, completely stretched out despite the natural instinct to curl up. Lyserg walked up to this twin and stood over him, fondness in his eyes and he leaned down and kissed him good morning. In spite of his outward state of sleep, the mouth twisted into a smile and began to respond to Lyserg. "Good morning, Lys."

"Morning." Lyserg tucked a stray strand of hair out of his face and behind his ear as the twin sat up on the couch. Patting the space next to him, the twin invited Lyserg to sit next to him, an invitation Lyserg took immediately. Cuddling up to the nice body warmth, Lyserg closed his eyes.

"Do you have to go to work today?" the cuddler asked. "Take off, like me."

"No…I have to." Lyserg opened his eyes slightly and stared down at the carpet. "I'm not busy, like you are. What could I do all day by myself?"

"You don't have to leave my side," the twin offered, and Lyserg smiled, snuggling closer.

"When can I meet this neighbor of yours who so rudely insulted you a few weeks ago?"

Lyserg opened his eyes again. He had been trying to put off their meeting…he wasn't sure why exactly. But it just felt weird to introduce them…after all, he had led Yoh on and had made out with him behind his back a few times. Of course Yoh was trying to avoid him now and Lyserg knew he was still meeting with that Tamao girl. He would mention it but this didn't have to be said. He couldn't control Yoh no matter how much he wished he could so what was the purpose of complaining about it?

"Maybe soon," Lyserg murmured, nestling himself deeper into his chuckling neighbor.

…

The pay checks weren't much, but they were a pretty good start.

For starters, Yoh had gotten a bed. At last. It was a tiny one with a springy mattress and a rather flat pillow. But at least he was off the floor now and his back no longer hurt. It was from this bed that he awoke with a start as he realized someone was taping on his window.

Oh, it was just the rain.

Yuck, he was up. He could sleep for hours on end, but once he was woken up, he found it hard to fall back asleep. Lying right on top of a spring, Yoh stared up at the ceiling. Hmm…the wood looked like a cat today. The rain started to fall harder and the room became too unbearingly noisy. He dropped out of bed and decided to get something to eat. Another perk: food.

Opening the fridge, Yoh pushed aside a half full carton of milk, some microwavable dinners, a bottle of vodka, and a carton of unopened cream cheese to get to what he was looking for: frozen Eggo waffles. Blueberry ones, to be exact. He pulled out a cheap toast burning toaster out of the cabinet and plugged it into the socket. At once, there was a clap of thunder and the electricity flickered off. Of course, Yoh being half awake, didn't notice the microwave timer flash off and tried a million times to make the waffles toast. Frowning, he felt the silver side of the toaster.

"Cold," he muttered. He turned around and went to a lamp sitting on the floor. So a giraffe lamp wasn't his idea of sophisticated décor, but with his paycheck, he couldn't complain. He tried to switch it on and lo and behold…it stayed dark.

"No electricity?" he muttered, scratching his messy bed head. Was his place the only one out or was the rest of the floor out to? Or did his innocent act of trying to toast some yummy blueberry waffles just shut the entire place down? Feeling dread flood his body, Yoh decided not to mention the waffles should he be brought in front of the superintendent. Waffles? Toaster? What toaster? What are waffles?

Despite his living there for almost a month, Yoh found he really didn't know who lived on his floor. He usually never saw them, them being either busy adults or home-ridden senior citizens. So the only one he really knew was Lyserg and he didn't think his mystery neighbors would take kind to a sloppy looking twenty three year old asking if they had power. Because if they didn't have power, they'd probably be pretty mad about not being able to shave (the busy adults) or missing their favorite six o' clock morning show (the seniors).

Had only Yoh known it was already nine in the morning and all business people would have been gone and most old people on his floor had either gone out for a walk or was taking a nap.

Throwing on some pants (he decided he liked walking around in boxers a lot better than restricting pants), Yoh stepped out and knocked on Lyserg's door.

There were some muffled sounds from behind said door and after a minute, Lyserg poked his head out. Yoh was sure he didn't imagine that surprised look and frowned when Lyserg nearly closed the door again. "Wait. Is your power out too?"

"Um, maybe, I don't know." Lyserg was avoiding eye contact and he was looking at the floor, so this was heard by Yoh as confusing mumbles.

"Who's at the door?"

Yoh frowned again as he heard a voice, a rich sounding base, come from deeper into the apartment. It seemed so familiar yet so foreign in this place at the same time. Lyserg turned to the mysterious voice and called, "Nothing!" so quickly that Yoh deducted he was being hidden from this person. Who was at Lyserg's place at such an early hour. A light clicked and Silva's words came floating back to him. So was this the person Lyserg was making out with at work? Not recently, since this mystery man wasn't showing face lately.

Lyserg turned back to Yoh, a look of desperation and 'GET OUT OF HERE' pretty obvious on his face. "Yeah, our power's out."

_Our _power? Yoh raised his eyebrows and before he could even ask a question, the door shut in his face. Talk about your unfriendly neighbors. Yoh decided to go back and wait it out back in his own flat.

…

By the time noon rolled around, the rain had not stopped. Yoh sighed. Looks like he wasn't going out any time soon. He had promised to stop by Starbucks to talk to Tamao before starting his shift. Nothing was stopping him from going, really…

Silva had noticed the rain and decided to take a day off. Well, Yoh didn't know that for sure but with Silva's attitude, it was practically truth.

Matter of fact, Silva was sitting in the shop, protected by the CLOSED sign and eating strawberries. He had expected none of his employees to show up anyway. The thought of docking pay never crossed his mind; that meant he had to stop eating strawberries to do the paperwork.

Paperwork sucked.

He had nothing else to do, really. Yoh decided to go get his raincoat. After all, the power was still down and he hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Starbucks probably had a generator so he could probably get something decent at a high price to eat. And he'd get to talk to Tamao. A double bonus. He would have also brought an umbrella…if he could find it in the mess of boxes he hadn't bothered to unpack.

He was close, too, to getting out of the apartment when he noticed Lyserg sitting at the corner of the lobby, staring out at the rain. Instinct told him not to go close, knowing that boy's way of seduction, but Lyserg just looked so lonely Yoh felt his feet walk himself over. Lyserg had a strange way of making his body move regardless of his control.

"What'cha looking at?"

Lyserg looked up, the surprise obviously dead. "Yoh…I don't know. It's lonely up at my place so I thought I might come down here."

Yoh stared down at him, the boy huddled in the tiny booth seat near the window. "Really? What about that person who was over this morning?"

"He went away," Lyserg said airily, watching a droplet of rain slide down the glass. "He was busy today." He glanced at Yoh and his yellow raincoat. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, Starbucks." Yoh paused as he noticed the look Lyserg was giving him. "What? Tamao's a nice person. I don't know why you don't like her."

"I never said I didn't like her." Yoh heard the note of stubbornness in the younger one's voice. Yeah, right. He had walked to work with Lyserg a few times, and those times, the Brit had made sure Yoh didn't stop at Starbucks for a quick chat with Tamao. And one lucky time he had lapsed and caught Yoh at the café, he had practically hissed at the clueless waitress and dragged Yoh away. Lyserg seemed to have some attachment issues.

"You never said it out loud, but everyone can tell." Why, just a few days ago when the two were sitting outside (Lyserg had done an early shift), Tamao had brought it up. The two were already pretty good friends.

"Listen, Yoh," Tamao started, finally getting used to calling one of her customers by their first name. She had already stopped thinking of Yoh as a customer and more of a friend…maybe more if he would let her. "Your friend…Lyserg, is it?"

"Hmm?" Yoh bit into the scone he bought. Score! He had enough money to actually buy something! Tamao's boss wasn't complaining anymore.

"He…" Tamao squirmed in her seat. "He hates me, doesn't he?"

"What makes you say that?" Yoh licked the side of his mouth to get the crumbs and Tamao was distracted for a moment at this motion. After blinking and stuttering her way back to clear thinking, she continued. "Um…he just glared at me and he keeps talking to me like I've done something wrong to him. Did I? Did I say something bad or rude?"

"I don't think so…" Yoh shrugged. "Lyserg's a difficult kind of person to get to know."

"He seems attached to you," Tamao suggested. She fiddled with the lace on her black headband, the glare of her nametag nearly blinding Yoh.

"Oh, I don't know why he's like that."

Tamao opened her mouth and suddenly closed it. She looked like a frog for a second, stumbling around to see if she should say anything. Yoh prompted her and she blurted out her question.

"Is he gay?"

Yoh blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Because…" Tamao blushed at the topic. "I don't know…he's very girly, isn't he? And he doesn't like me around you…so maybe he's jealous?"

"Oh, no!" Yoh laughed. "I don't think so. Cause he's going out with someone else, you see?" A look of relief rushed over Tamao, gladdened by the demise of one of her most formidable enemies.

"I'm sorry. I should have thought about that before I said it." Tamao laughed lightly. "Duh."

"No, it's a totally legit question. I mean…" Yoh stopped before he continued on about his second day at the apartments. After all, making out with your neighbor wasn't something you divulged even to one of your good friends. "…I get what you're saying, after all."

Tamao smiled, a bright face in a bright summer day. "Well, I think you have to be going. Are you coming tomorrow?"

"I'm not that obvious about it," Lyserg muttered. Yoh laughed. "So you admit you don't like her!"

"No!" Lyserg frowned as Yoh continued laughing. The raincoat decked twin sat down as he let laughter take over. Lyserg leaned over indignantly. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm sorry, Lyserg! It's just…you're so funny when you're stubborn like that! I mean, it's pretty obvious…" He was cut off as Lyserg pressed his lips against Yoh's in an effort to quiet him. He hesitated, remembering the mystery voice in Lyserg's apartment, but Lyserg was inviting him, licking his bottom lip. Letting Lyserg into his mouth, Yoh fell into sync again and started kissing Lyserg back. Again, he was moving as if possessed; his hands grasped Lyserg's rather femininely curvy hips and pulled him closer. The Brit responded rather naturally, climbing into Yoh's lap, slowly diminishing the gap between their bodies.

"Oh Yoh…" Yoh broke away as Lyserg started talking breathlessly. The greenette's face was flushed and there was a tiny, shy smile on his face. "I've never kissed anyone like you…you're different from everyone else."

"Yeah? And how many people have you kissed so far?" Yoh challenged, his hands still firmly placed around Lyserg's waist. Coyly, Lyserg traced numbers on Yoh's raincoat. "Hmm…do you have a calculator?"

"Oh, no, I left it on the kitchen counter," Yoh said, rolling his eyes. "Because I usually bring a calculator with me everywhere I go, I just forgot it this morning."

"Well…let's say it's been some." Lyserg smiled, pressing his chest onto Yoh's, closing the temporary gap. "But you're the best, I've got to say." He smiled again as Yoh leaned down to claim his lips again.

"Oy vay." The two sprang apart as a fragile voice came floating over to them. The superintendent, Agatha Perverte, slowly walked up to them, a grin on her face, looking quite natural amidst the numerous wrinkles. "Boys will be boys, I guess."

"Ms. Perverte!" Lyserg's face was hidden behind a fierce blush at being caught. Agatha chuckled.

"This is your fifth warning, Mr. Diethyl," she said amusedly. "I already told you four times before to keep your PDA confined to your room. Some people just don't want to see it. Not including me, of course," she added. "Your love life is better than most soap operas, Mr. Diethyl."

"Um, thanks?" Lyserg seemed to be trying to hide behind Yoh, who was staring at his superintendent like a deer caught in headlights.

"So our newest tenant is your current victim?" Agatha looked Yoh over. "But what happened to your old one? I quite liked him."

"He's still here," Lyserg said, his voice suddenly loosing volume. Agatha's eyes danced at this information.

"So this is an affair, is that it?" Yoh couldn't imagine another old person who seemed so enthusiastic about the love lives of other people. Wait…four times? Lyserg made out with someone FOUR times already?

"Listen you two," Agatha said, looking around. "I didn't say this; the building's rules do. You cannot make out or have any sexual innuendos in public. That's violation number fifty. So please don't make me warn you two again." She winked at Lyserg. "Just take it upstairs, hmm?"

Great. Like a grandmother advocating for safe sex. Agatha Perverte walked away and Yoh turned to Lyserg, who was sitting sheepishly next to him.

A clap of thunder lit up the dimly lit lobby, bringing to the attention that the electricity was back on. Lyserg looked up.

"Well…I guess I'll go back upstairs," he murmured. He stood up and started walking to the elevators. Yoh blinked and looked outside. It was thundering. And lightning…ing. He didn't want to risk his life in a yellow plastic raincoat. Tamao would understand, wouldn't she? "Hold up, Lyserg. I'll go up with you." He dashed after Lyserg and made it into the elevator before the doors closed.

Up at the forth floor, Pirka Usui glanced at her watch. Ag, she was late! She hadn't meant to take up all her time chatting with her friend. But who could blame her? They were going to college in September, so they may as well use up all their time as graduated high schoolers doing what they do best…which is nothing. The elevator opened and she was about to rush in and press LOBBY when she realized it was already inhabited.

She stepped back in surprise as she realized again, with a shock, that it was two people sucking face. One was a pretty…some may say _beautiful_ young woman. She had messy green hair, but obviously messed up by making out in an elevator. She had her arms around someone else, whose hands seemed all over her back. They shifted for a second and Pirka recognized brown hair and orange headphones…but wait…was this Yoh…_the_ Yoh Asakura who couldn't score? (Or so Horo claimed…)

"Yoh? Is that you?" The two broke apart, but only the mouth, for the greenette kept her arms around Yoh's neck and Yoh didn't attempt to form space between their bodies. Looking at this girl in the face, Pirka got another whammy after she realized this was a boy…but was this a pretty boy! Yoh blinked. "Pirka?" The green eyed boy turned up to Yoh with a searching look. "Who's she, Yoh?"

"Oh…this is Pirka. She's my friend's sister." Yoh looked at Pirka, then back at Lyserg. "Pirka, this is Lyserg Diethyl, He's my neighbor."

"Friendly, aren't we?" Pirka said, gripping her purse strap. Oh…Horo really need to hear about this!

"Nice to meet you," Lyserg said, his arms still wrapped around Yoh's neck, though one might say _protectively_ this time. Pirka looked at Yoh blankly. "Well…um, I'll let you two alone…but I thought you were staying at Horo's?"

"Right. Yeah…Ren forced him to kick me out."

"That Ren," Pirka sighed, grinning. "You know how he gets. Alright then. I'll see you two later!" She waved rather preppishly as the doors slide to a close. After she was sure the elevator was gone, she whipped out her cell phone.

…

Yoh groaned as the doorbell rang. He was busy spreading cream cheese on his banana! God! It was a nicer day than yesterday… the sun was shining at least. He walked over to the door and opened it. "What is it?"

"Surprise, buddy!" Yoh blinked as Horo appeared in the doorway. "Horo? What are you doing here?"

"Dude! Are you kidding? When Pirka told me you scored for the first time in your life, I just had to come and congratulate you! Dude, you live in an awesome place. See, Ren, I told you he could survive." Horo reached out and pulled Ren into frame, the familiar frowny Asian Yoh knew. Ren glared at Horo, then at Yoh.

"I guess," he muttered. "Obviously not modestly, though."

"I'll put pants on," Yoh said, rolling his eyes. The two invited themselves in as Yoh reached for a pair of jeans sitting on the floor. So he didn't clean up after himself. It was his place.

"Pretty…empty, huh Yoh?" Horo looked around. Ren shook his head disapprovedly and collapsed on Yoh's tiny couch. Horo joined him, effectively pinning the two together. "So, Yoh…when can we see this chick?"

"We?" Yoh asked, putting the cream cheese away.

"We," Ren said, his voice oddly clear despite of misuse. A smile tugged at his face as he glanced up at Horo, who's eyes were practically laughing. "I want to meet this girl with a brain tumor so deadly she'd go for you."

"No!" Yoh protested, and Horo burst out into loud laughter, blue hair falling into his face. "Come on, Yoh. Don't hide her."

"He lives next door."

This sobered the two on the couch up. "He?" Horo nearly whispered. "Dude! Yoh! You're gay! Congrats!"

"I'm not gay," Yoh insisted. "I'm at most bi. There's this really cute girl over at Starbucks and…"

"Juggling two people at the same time?" Horo shouted. "Yoh, you player! When did you get this pimp side of you that was dead during collage!"

Ren even chuckled. "Player," he muttered.

"I'm not a player," Yoh insisted again. "Besides, Lyserg's already going out with someone."

Horo burst into laughter again. "Lyserg? What kind of stupid name is that?"

"So you're the other person?" Ren asked. Yoh suddenly was aware of these two, who were like enemies grinning at him from the couch. "I'm starting to think inviting you two in was a bad idea."

"No! It was a great idea!" Horo shouted, tightening his grip around Ren. At that moment, there was knocking at the door and Horo quieted down in a snap. Yoh sighed; how many people were coming to visit him now? He opened the door, revealing a rather annoyed looking Lyserg.

"I don't know who you have in here, a hyena or some kind of elephant, but could you tell him to pipe down?" Lyserg asked, a cute frown on his face. "You're disturbing everyone here, Yoh!"

"Oh, is this Starbucks girl?" At the mention of Starbucks, Lyserg's expression hardened and he glanced around Yoh to the couch. Horo made it worse as he let out a loud wolf whistle, which earned glares from both Lyserg and Ren. Horo glanced at them with wide eyes and shrugged. "What? She's hot!"

"I'm a guy," Lyserg shot.

"Yoh!" Horo shouted. "So this is the guy you were making out with yesterday? You have sweet taste!"

"Spreading this around, aren't you?" Lyserg asked, turning on Yoh. "Bringing everyone around to watch hmm?"

"No!" Yoh shied back as Lyserg's glare intensified. "Well, if they want to watch, let them!" He leaned up to Yoh and kissed him fiercely, making Horo let out another wolf whistle and even Ren had to clap at this one. Only when Yoh started to respond did Horo suddenly cut in.

"Alright, alright. We don't need to watch you make out. You made your point." He grinned at Lyserg, who was back to glaring at him. "I'm Horokeu Usui, Horo for short, and I'm Yoh's friend from Yale."

"I'm Ren Tao, and I'm Horo's…"

"Girlfriend."

"Asshole!" For a moment, they started fighting on the couch and Lyserg turned back to Yoh. "Just tell them to shut up, alright? Are you going to work today?"

"Yeah." Yoh could never act as ordinary as Lyserg did every time they made out. He was surprised that the Diethyl could act as if nothing happened when his head was still swimming. Then again, he was caught four times before…

"Work? No, boo!" Horo called. "Yoh, dude, I'm taking a break from med school, just take the day off today! Where're you working anyway?"

"Smooth E."

Horo made a face. "What's that?"

"Nothing big if you've never heard of it," Ren said, rolling his eyes. Horo ignored him. "Listen, Yoh, we've taken time out of our busy lives, so could you at least show us around today? Screw work!"

"Well…" Yoh glanced at Lyserg, who sighed exasperatedly. "Yoh!" Lyserg sighed again and turned to leave. "_Fine_, I'll tell Silva you're on break today! You lazy slacker!" He shut the door behind him.

"Yoh, my man!" Horo stood up and clapped Yoh on the back. "You lucky dog! Kissing that mouth? How do you do it?"

Yoh cocked his head. "Natural charm, I guess."

"Wow, he really must be having a huge tumor," Ren commented from the couch. "I mean, your natural charm? You're like as charming as a brick wall."

"Be nice, Ren," Horo said. "Now! Let's go meet Ms. Starbucks!"

…

The bell to Smooth E jingled and Silva turned. Eyes widened, he gasped. "Lyserg! And Mr. Asakura! Why, what are you two doing here?"

"Working, what else?" Lyserg asked, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I'm glad your back." Silva turned to Lyserg. "What happened to…you know?"

"Busy."

"Again?" Silva sighed. "And I was looking forward to no making out…well, you two know the drill."

"Right," Lyserg said, rolling his eyes again. At that split second, the twin next to him grabbed him and bent him over to kiss him Hollywood style. They straightened up again, Lyserg laughing. Silva groaned.

"Welcome back, Hao."

…

"Hello, Tamao."

"Yoh!" Tamao turned, the black lace headband nearly slipping off her head. Her eyes lit up again and she noticed two people with him. "Who are these people?"

"This is Horo, this is Ren."

"Charmed," Tamao said, grinning. "Welcome to Starbucks!"

"Well, hello!" Horo turned to Yoh. "You're right. She's cute," he whispered, loud enough for Tamao to hear. Tamao blushed and fumbled with her order pad. "Um…would you like anything to drink?"

"Um…double shot espresso," Horo said thoughtfully, while Ren just answered, "Milk."

"Yoh?"

"I'm fine, thanks Tam."

"Tam?" Horo whispered loudly. Tamao was flustered again and after a quick second of composing herself, turned to Yoh with a frown. "Um…where's Lyserg?"

"Oh, he went to work. I'm showing these guys around."

"Oh." Tamao smiled. "Well, you have a lot of friends, Yoh." She walked back inside to ring up the order. Horo grabbed Yoh around the neck in a chokehold, earning strange looks from everyone outside.

"They KNOW each other, you pimp? God, how do you do it?" Horo laughed, giving Yoh a nudgie. "She's real cute, though. She likes you a lot, I can tell."

"You think?" Yoh choked out.

"Yeah! Thing is, who do you like better?" He didn't let Yoh up to answer. "Yoh, Yoh, Yoh. You've grown up, my friend!"

"Do you know what I'm seeing?" Ren asked, a familiar smirk on his face. "I'm seeing a complicated future for Yoh. Good luck. You'll need it."

To be continued…

Note: The plot thickens! Summer rolls around! As do plot twists! Although I'm sure some of you may have seen the Hao factor coming. Thanks for reading and review, please!


	4. That Green Gentleman

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed) – Panic at the Disco – Pretty. Odd. Track 5

Chapter Four – That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)

The phone rang, disrupting the quiet household. Instantly, there was a flurry of motion and a scampering of feet down the hallway. "I'll get it!" Keiko called out, despite the fact that Mikihisa was asleep on the couch and probably wouldn't have gotten up anyway. Maybe this was Yoh, her son she hadn't heard from for a month and a good half already. Was he dead? No way…his death would have been on the television, right? Yoh would always find someway of going down famously. Anyway, the fact was that she had no idea about his whereabouts and was worried sick.

"Hello?"

"Mom?"

YES! It was YOH! But now that she knew he was okay, she snapped back to normal mother mode. "No, you are not allowed to come back and live here."

"I know. I found another place."

Another place? Keiko nearly collapsed. Was this the lazy, throwing-his-weight-around son? It couldn't be!

"Do you have a job?" she asked incredulously. There was a silence. "Oh, I'm nodding. So yes."

Keiko rolled her eyes. Only Yoh would respond physically to something over the phone. Wiping her hands on the apron around her neck, she cleared her throat to get the surprise out of her voice. "So…where are you?"

"The city." Keiko breathed another sigh of relief. At least some place close. But she hadn't doubted that he wouldn't have been able to get out of the city. He didn't have enough money.

"So how are you?"

"Me? Fine, I guess." Yoh's voice hesitated before hurrying on. "I think I'm seeing someone."

Keiko couldn't help it; she burst into disbelieving laughter. "You THINK? Not only that, you're SEEING SOMEONE?"

"Yes!" Keiko calmed down to a chuckle as she heard the offensive tone in Yoh's voice. "Alright, honey, tell me about it."

Yoh hesitated again. It was six fifteen and he was sitting on the kitchen counter of his apartment, using the phone line he had just discovered a few days ago. He had meant to call his mother sooner to make sure she knew he was okay, but his cell phone had run out of battery and he had misplaced the charger somewhere in the boxes he had yet to still unpack. So he had gotten a phone and connected it to the wall. Hopefully he wouldn't rack up enormous phone bills. He'd worry about that later…after all, he had just paid his few weeks late rent but Ms. Perverte didn't seem too worried about it. In fact, she had just smiled and offered him a seat and proceeded to ask him about his love life.

Actually his mother was starting to sound just like his old landlady…

"It's complicated…" And it was. A few days ago, he had gone over to Lyserg's to pick him up to go to work and one thing had led to another and before he had known it, the two of them were making out on the couch. Strange how things happen like that. It seemed that every other second he spent with Lyserg was spent just making out. It wasn't a very verbal friendship. Or had it gone past friendship? Yoh decided to ask.

"Listen, Lyserg…we've been making out a lot lately," Yoh started awkwardly, sitting up on the couch. Lyserg searched him with a bit of confusion in his eyes. "Yeah?"

"And I was wondering…do you like me or something?"

Lyserg had looked at him with an expression that suggested he hadn't gotten the question and Yoh was about to repeat it when the Brit finally answered. "Making out is not synonymous with liking someone."

Yoh stared at him blankly. "So you're just making out with me for fun?"

There was another pause before Lyserg nodded slowly, still wearing the boggled expression.

Although Yoh had reason to doubt this as they stopped by Starbucks on their way to Smooth E. When he was talking to Tamao, he knew by the look on her face that she was being given the evil eye. Now why would someone who didn't give a shit care if he was talking and showing interest in someone else? It was beyond him.

"How complicated, honey?"

"I don't know. He says he doesn't like me but he doesn't like it when I talk to this other girl. I think she likes me and I wouldn't mind going out with her but he makes it harder than it seems. I don't get it."

"Now, Yoh, you know it's completely fine to be bi. I still love you all the same."

"That's not what I meant mom."

"Tell me about this boy."

"I'm not a pedophile, mom. He's a junior in collage. He's really pretty and –''

"Now Yoh, I get why he says he doesn't like you. Boys are offended when you call them pretty."

"It's not just me, mom. Horo thought he was a girl at first."

"Horo? Is Horo there? Tell him I said hi."

"He left a few weeks ago."

"Is he still going out with that quiet guy? Rin?"

"Ren, and yes."

"Ah. Anyway, more about this guy…?"

"Anyway, he's actually legit hot and he's got naturally green hair…"

"Green hair? That's different. Is he nice?"

"Depends on how you define nice. He was teasing me the first day I got here."

"So he was flirting with you?"

"I don't know."

Keiko sighed exasperatedly. "What's his name?"

"Lyserg. Lyserg Diethyl."

Keiko wondered where she had heard that name before. Could it be that Yoh was going out with a movie star? But no…she would remember a name like that. Faintly searching her brain for the information, she continued talking. "Now…about this girl?"

"Tamao? She works at Starbucks near the place I work at now. Smooth E."

Now that was a name Keiko remembered. Pieces of the puzzle of her younger son's life were starting to come together. But could it happen this perfectly? Before she could ask anything else, Yoh had tunneled on. "She's got pink hair and she's really nice. Horo said she likes me and I don't have a problem with that. I'm really nice to her, but Lyserg just giving her the silent treatment."

"Gosh, Yoh. You got yourself into a situation." Keiko thought for a moment. "So who do you like better?"

"That's the problem. I don't know. I would like to go out with Tamao, but every time I see Lyserg, somehow we just start making out. It's weird. I don't know."

She was so proud. Her son was finally going through puberty. During their teen years, her older twin Hao had been a dating mess, juggling almost a million girls while Yoh had sat in the corner quietly talking to himself about goldfish and clouds. But she guessed all to his own time.

"Yoh, I guess I shouldn't have worried about you. Looks like you can take care of yourself."

"I can." Then, "Wait, what?"

"Anyway…where do you actually live? I mean, is it a house or something?" This was the only blurry thing in Yoh's explanation. She had to find out.

"No…I'm in an apartment."

"What's it called?"

Yoh blinked. So he had lived here for nearly two months and he had no idea about the place's name. He glanced around frantically and spotted the name on a flyer lying around with his mail. He had been getting a lot of junk lately. "Um…BRSJ Apartments?"

"What floor?"

"Sixth."

There seemed to be a sound of surprise from the other line and Yoh wondered what he missed. "Then have you seen your brother?"

"Hao?" Yoh frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Hao! Your brother! He should be one of your neighbors. Didn't you pay attention last time he came home? He lives on the sixth floor of BRSJ! How could you miss him?"

Yoh nearly dropped the phone. His brother was here? More importantly, they were twins, and if Lyserg had been living here earlier than he had, wouldn't he have noticed? Why did the question never come up? Suddenly the voice from Lyserg's apartment rang through his head and Yoh knew.

The one Lyserg was making out, the one Silva mentioned.

The voice in the apartment.

It had all been Hao all along and he had never noticed.

…

Lyserg's eyes widened as Yoh appeared at the other side of the door. "It's a bit early to be getting to work, hmm?"

Yoh ignored him completely and nearly pushed his way into the apartment. Lyserg didn't seem disturbed by this fact and shut the door behind them. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me you knew Hao?" Yoh turned, a frown on his face. "We look exactly alike except the length of our hair! I'm sure you would have noticed! I heard you and Silva talked about it! Unless…you didn't want me to know?"

Lyserg seemed to be in a state of shock. "I…I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Don't lie to me, Lyserg. I know Hao's the other person. Or I'm the other person. I don't know anymore. The point is, you knew Hao but you never told me about him!"

"I didn't know you were related!" Lyserg protested, standing his ground against his seemingly angry Asakura. "I asked him about it but he said he had a little brother!"

"I told you the first day I was the younger part of a pair of twins!"

"I know, but he made it sound like his brother was really young! I thought you two might be related but since neither of you mentioned the other I thought maybe you guys weren't related or you weren't on good terms with each other!"

Yoh considered this, but wasn't done yet. "Alright, I get that, but why didn't you go out and tell me you were seeing someone else? You don't just go out with someone and then make out with someone else for fun!"

"I can't help it!" Lyserg shouted, silencing the younger twin. "There's something about you…" His voice fell a few notches and Yoh had to strain his ears to hear what he said next. "It's just…I feel like you're mine and you can't belong to anyone else."

"Yours?" Yoh asked. "I'm not a thing, Lyserg. I'm a person and I can't just be passed around like a pudding cup!" He felt anger flow through him as he noticed not a hint of shame show on Lyserg's face. "You're disgusting." He made to leave, but he had to walk past Lyserg to do so and as he did, the greenette reached out and pulled Yoh toward him, connecting their lips again like routine. Yoh had made to pull away, but just like always…he couldn't. Lyserg pulled away and his eyes fell to the floor. "Don't hate me."

"You're a liar, Lyserg. I don't like people who lie."

"I don't mean to," Lyserg said softly. At that exact moment, the doorknob gave a rattle and the door opened. In the doorframe was the exact replica of Yoh, save the few inches longer hair, absence of headphones, and neater apparel. The identical brown eyes widened slightly. "So, Lyserg. Is this your new neighbor?"

"Hao!" Lyserg's hold on Yoh disappeared and Yoh noticed the greenette backing away. Hao had noticed this also and glanced over at Yoh. "Hey, utouto. Long time no see."

Hao turned back to Lyserg. "It's not safe not to lock your doors, Lyserg. You're so cute anyone would just walk in here and rape you."

There was an awkward silence as no one knew exactly what to say. Personally, Yoh was already boggled by knowing Lyserg's lie, along with the actual confrontation (well…it wasn't exactly a confrontation at the moment. More like a bust) with his onii-chan. Hao looked rather calm with the whole situation and was looking at them back and forth as if expecting someone to say something. Lyserg was staring at the floor the whole time before slowly deciding to put himself out there to spare everyone else from the carnage known as an awkward silence.

"Hao…this is Yoh. He's my neighbor…and I guess he's your brother too."

"Hmm." Hao nodded as if meeting Yoh for the first time. "Nice to meet you, Yoh."

Yoh was still a bit boggled and tried to blink his way back to actual thinking. "Um, yeah."

"So…why didn't you tell me any of this?" Hao asked. Yoh suddenly had a frenzy urge to add "That's what I asked" but there was no point trying to outdo anyone at this point. Lyserg was perched on the hot seat and didn't seem to know a way out.

"I…" Lyserg took a deep breath. "I know this won't help anything but I'll try and explain everything from the beginning."

…

Lyserg had only moved into BRSJ for a week or so but he was already getting along with everyone nicely. Granted he didn't know anyone on his floor, but that wasn't much of a problem. He didn't want to know anyone. Knowing people would mean getting attached to the place, and from what happened back in England, he knew better than to get attached to anything.

Since…you know, everything ends up disappearing or leaving some way or another.

For that reason, he hated elevators. It made the climb up from the lobby to the sixth floor much easier, but there were a lot of tenants. He could be trapped with someone in the elevator for an excruciating thirty seconds at least. And this someone might show some interest in him and he might be interested in this other person…but he didn't want to be in a relationship right now. Not after what he had been through.

He needed the exercise, and besides, it wasn't like he lived on the top twelfth floor. That would have _sucked_.

After a five minute climb up the stairs, Lyserg came home to a stack of boxes outside his door, blocking his way into his flat. Giving it the evil eye as if each box would get the clue, Lyserg glanced around the hallway for the perpetrator. Empty. Figures. Wondering if he should just knock the whole thing down and get in the door, a voice called out from the elevator. "Wait! Don't touch those!"

Lyserg jumped. Well, he had been expecting someone to claim these boxes, but he hadn't expected it to be called through an order. It wasn't a request, like most people might have said it. The calm, soft but firm call. This voice was rough, as if touching the boxes would mean unleashing the heaven's wrath. Lyserg leapt away from the stack.

Someone came sprinting out of the elevator, holding a box. Cardboard seemed all the rage with his person. Standing in front of the stack, facing Lyserg, this person seemed determined to protect his belongings. A fire seemed to burn in the brown eyes staring Lyserg down and the normally well-kept off the shoulder hair was tousled with the move. "Don't you dare touch these things."

"As much as I'd love not to," Lyserg said coolly, the defensive instinct kicking in with each new encounter. "You're blocking my way into my own place."

The person turned to the door hidden behind the wall of boxes and Lyserg saw realization in the fiery eyes but was hit with another surprise when the person didn't budge. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

"So aren't you going to do anything?"

"I'm not done yet." The person flipped his head to get some ridiculously long bangs out of his eyes. "I still have about five boxes the elevator."

"Where's your place?"

"Why? Wanna stalk me?"

"No, idiot, because you could have put them there!" Lyserg rolled his eyes. "Instead of invading my personal space!"

"Look, chick, you just came up a few minutes ago. Your personal space hasn't been invaded yet." A smirk glazed the mischievous face. "_Yet_."

"Listen, dick, you're obviously cracked in the head, cause I'm a guy. And I don't care if I have to kick these boxes down the hall, you're moving them—'' Lyserg was cut off as the peace breaker dropped the box with a thud and rammed him into the opposite wall.

"_This_ is called invading personal space," the stranger whispered, his mouth rather close to Lyserg's. "And I _said_ I'm not done yet." He leaned in closer so his breath was hot on Lyserg's neck. A kiss seemed so eminent and strangely desired after such a long period of limited human contact that the Brit was disappointed when the stranger backed off and headed back to the elevator.

"Can I at least know the molester's name?" Lyserg called sarcastically. The stranger turned, giving the greenette an amused look.

"My name's Hao. Remember that."

He did. He ran it over several times in his head and maybe that was why he couldn't seem to think straight when he asked Hao if he could help assist the move despite his abstinence from human contact and saying the name seemed to become a mantra that had given him an out of body experience. Because as he next remembered, the boxes were moved into the apartment and the two were making out on the kitchen counter.

So much for his abstaining from relationships.

…

Life had a strange way of throwing curve balls at you while you're busy trying to escape the whole damn ballpark. But luckily, Lyserg was skilled enough to dodge these bumpy parts. He had gotten rather acquainted with Hao after the both of them scoured for possible jobs in this huge city (and surprisingly, there was a lot more talking involved than lip-locking…which was how it all ended but was _not_ (NOT) the main focus) and somehow ended up at Smooth E. They were lucky Silva was an accepting man because humane rules of PDA didn't seem to apply when the two were around.

Silva would just walk in and the two were at each other. He would just politely excuse himself go take himself out for ice cream.

He was a carefree kind of man.

Things had been sailing smooth for the two when Lyserg met Yoh. He had been waiting for Hao to come back from a long shift and was spending his time reading outside on his balcony. He had always liked plants; they comforted him strangely. He had noticed someone had moved in next to him but now this said person was standing outside, staring out at the city as if oblivious to everything else. There was something about this new neighbor that sparked his interest…he wasn't sure what. It wouldn't hurt to get to know who this guy was, right?

"New here?"

…

The twins were staring at him with strangely identical expressions. Well, duh…they were identical twins. Lyserg gulped as he finished his story. Maybe it didn't quite give them reason to forgive them, but at least the two of them knew what had been going on these past few weeks…months, actually. He wondered how long this silence would last. Maybe forever.

No way. "Wait, are you interested in the both of us?" Yoh asked, trying to make sense of the whole situation.

"I don't think so," Hao said sarcastically. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept us this long, nee? You're so stupid sometimes, utouto."

"But you can't." Yoh frowned. "It's not good to go out with two different people at the same time."

"Sure it is. It's called an _affair_."

"But we both know."

"Oh well."

Lyserg blinked. Now they were arguing over a word with each other? "Are you two mad at me?" he ventured hesitantly. The twins turned and stared at him, again, identically. It was getting a little creepy.

"A bit," Yoh said, nodding slowly. "I mean, you did lie to us but then again you just told us the whole story…"

"And besides, who could say mad at you?" Hao grinned and walked up to him, sliding a hand onto his cheek. "You're too adorable to be mad at."

_You're so cute I could never stay mad at you._

"Um, yeah…" Hao raised his eyebrows as Lyserg seemed to swat his hand away, turning away. "Um…we got to go in an hour…I'll go change, alright?" Without another word, the Brit seemed to scamper away. Hao sighed and turned to Yoh. "You're not really mad at him, are you?"

Yoh opened his mouth before sighing and shaking his head. "It's like you said…I should be mad, but I'm not."

Hao chuckled. "Lyserg does that to people. He's dangerous."

"I just never knew he was going out with you."

Hao shrugged. "The reason I'm not gouging out your eyes is that we're technically going out, but Lyserg won't acknowledge it." He looked at Yoh. "You know how protective I am over people I like."

Did he ever. Hao was like a guard dog to everyone he cherished. Family, friends, relationships, it was all the same. One time in kindergarten, Yoh had gotten bullied and the next day, the bully's boxers were flying on the flagpole…along with the bully himself. It was only a miracle the bully hadn't needed therapy…and now was currently his friend going to medical school and going out with egotistical control freak.

"But we've never gotten past third base and whenever we go out together, he never calls us a couple. I don't think he's embarrassed by the fact that we're…you know…both guys, though. With what we do, we really are in a relationship but he doesn't seem to notice it. Like friends just go up to each other and make out."

Yoh blinked. "Why?"

"I don't know. He won't say anything when I ask him about it. He also won't tell me anything about what happened back in England, either. I think something must have happened there." Hao stretched, raising his arms high above his head. "Anyway, utouto, how did you end up here?"

Yoh explained their mother's wrath, the misunderstanding in the paper, and his incredible luck. Hao nodded understandingly. "Keiko's always been that kind of mother that would kick her kids over the nest then beg for them to come back.

Yoh cringed. Only Hao would call his parents by their first name. He could never be like normal kids and say 'mom' and 'dad'.

"So where do you work here?"

"Smooth E."

Hao laughed. "Well, it's a miracle we haven't bumped into each other sooner since we're connected to so many things here! Did you see that weird girl at Starbucks? She stumbled over to me one time and asked me why my hair was so long!"

"Tamao? Oh, yeah. I know her."

"Tamao?" Hao smirked. "You _know_ her, hmm? She must have been talking about you. What's up with her?"

When Yoh didn't say anything, Hao smacked him on the back. "Yoh, what's happened to you? First you start out dry and then you hop from Lyserg to Tamao? You truly are my brother!'

"That's not what's going on!" Yoh protested, but Hao laughed. Lyserg walked in that moment, in his Smooth E outfit holding his apron when Hao grinned. "Yoh was just finishing telling me all about Tamao!"

Lyserg dropped the apron.

Hao gave Yoh a nudgie. "Yoh, things have changed, haven't they?"

Did they ever. Yoh managed to look up to see Lyserg practically shaking hands with that green gentleman, looking positively livid at the mention of Tamao's name. Things had changed for him, but it was okay. He felt the same and he was sure things would be just fine…

…right?

To be continued…

Note: I've been having such horrible writer's block with this chapter that it's caused me so much time between the last update and this one. But I promise the next ones will be much more interesting. I planned some twists out while I was trying to figure what else to write about in this chapter. So don't hold your breath! And do review! Thank you!


	5. I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Track 6 – Pretty. Odd. – I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

Chapter Five – I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

Lyserg knew it was_ that_ day the second he woke up. It was the farthest thing from his mind and he had almost forgotten all about it for some time now but the moment he woke up, the memory just flooded back to him as if it had happened yesterday and he knew today was going to be horrible.

He should have known. Ever since Hao had reminded him of _him_, it had always in the back of his mind and even making out with Yoh (or occasionally Hao, whoever was in the room at the moment) made him forget. Not that he wanted to forget…but he didn't want to remember it either.

And maybe it was made worse a tad more when Tamao had actually asked Yoh out in front of his face. Personally, he thought he had intimidated the Starbucks waitress enough not to make a move and now she had _asked_ Yoh if he'd like to go with her somewhere (he didn't remember where, he was too angry to listen) in front of him! He thought he had been giving her some 'back OFF' signals but apparently she didn't get it or ignored it completely. Yoh sounded really awkward as he responded with a 'Uh…um…well…let me see if I'm free, yeah?'

Yoh, that stupid air headed little prick! Lyserg didn't know why he kept that idiot twin around. But just because he was frustrated with him didn't mean he would give up ownership and pass Yoh to Tamao. No way.

He had made sure Yoh was too preoccupied to give it thought, but he couldn't just follow the twin into his flat and keep him busy.

He tried. Yoh had gotten suspicious and threw him out. (Not without a good night kiss, though. Score one for Lyserg!)

Fortunately, Silva had given them the day off (one of Silva's whims – giving random day offs. It didn't affect anything as no one still came to the shop anyway. Although there was a rise in sales as it was summer), so Yoh had no reason to walk past Starbucks.

Unless, of course, he had an answer already. The thought made Lyserg jump out of bed and get dressed. He hadn't bothered looking good as he went out and knocked on Yoh's door, ignoring the fact that it was still five thirty in the morning. After all, Yoh could have made his decision and could have gotten up early to visit Starbucks. To either stake out or maybe Starbucks was already open. It could be an all night place, for all he knew. And Yoh could have gone to find Tamao.

After all, love makes you do stupid things.

Maybe he should get Hao and have him burn the door down. Hao had too big an obsession with fire.

"Hmm?" A sleepy voice filled the hallway as the door opened. Yoh appeared, eyes nearly closed as he frowned at the early morning visitor. "What is it?"

Lyserg glared at him. He had to make sure Yoh didn't venture close to Starbucks today. "Yoh, will you keep me company today? The whole day?"

Yoh blinked and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Wha…?" Still groggy, he tried to make sense of it all. "You woke me up to tell me _that?_"

"Well?" Lyserg, being wide awake, didn't understand how Yoh couldn't even stand up. "Will you?"

"Yeah, sure…"

"Then come with me now."

Yoh nearly groaned. "Lyserg, I'm half dressed, I'm tired, and it's not even sunrise yet. Can't you let me sleep for a few more hours before coming over?"

A few more hours! Now that he was awake, Yoh could think about his answer to Tamao and in the few hours Lyserg left him alone, maybe he could scamper off to Starbucks…oh _no_. "No." Lyserg grabbed the still sleepy twin's hand and dragged him next door. "You can sleep at my place."

"Why?" Yoh whined, although as he stumbled through the threshold, wobbled toward the couch and collapsed, conked out.

Lyserg smiled triumphantly. Score two for Lyserg!

…

"WHY DIDN'T YOU LET ME STAY IN MY PLACE?" This must have been the last thing Yoh had been thinking about as he fell asleep on Lyserg's couch because it was the first thing that came from his mouth as he jolted awake two hours later. Lyserg was sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee and eating what looked to be a raspberry Milano.

"Good morning."

"Don't 'good morning' me!" Yoh jumped up and looked down at his T-shirt and blue plaid pajama pants. "Why didn't at least let me put some CLOTHES on?"

"Sorry," Lyserg shrugged, not sounding sorry at all.

"Sorry," Yoh sputtered. He walked toward the door. "Let me get some clothes…"

"No!" Lyserg leapt forward and close to tackled him onto the floor. "Wait, don't go. I'm sure I have something you can wear."

Yoh gave Lyserg a look. "Did you do something so I can't leave your place?" He gave the Brit a suspicious look, which easily rebounded by an innocent shake of the head. "I just want you to stay with me today."

"Why?" Yoh shook his head. Lyserg had made him bump it against the floor as he tackled him and tried to sit up despite the greenette sitting on his lap. "I see you everyday."

"Yeah, but…" Lyserg gave him a 'pity me' look. "We have the day off today and we should hang out like friends do."

"Why didn't you drag Hao over here then?"

Lyserg stared at him. "Cause Hao had work. Duh."

Turns out, everything Lyserg had was too small for Yoh, so it was inevitable to go back to the younger twin's apartment. Yoh wasn't going to sacrifice wearing clothes for anyone. Although it was creepy enough he wondered if it would have been better if he just stayed over there in a T-shirt and pajama pants. Lyserg watched him change as if he was a lab animal.

"Why are you watching over me so much?" Yoh asked as they went back to Lyserg's place. Lyserg just gave him a secret smile and shrugged. "It wouldn't be fair if you wandered off since you're supposed to spend the day with me, is it?"

Obsessed, much? Yoh wondered if he could even go to the bathroom without Lyserg watching him. Thought apparently he could wander around Lyserg's apartment without the boy stalking him. As Lyserg watched television in front of the door, Yoh wandered through the flat, looking in closets to find tracking devices. He wouldn't put it past the Brit to have sniper equipment. Not when he held so many grudges. He was sure Lyserg now had a vendetta against Tamao after she had asked him out. He thought he had given Tamao the 'not NOW' signals but she didn't seem to notice. He still wasn't sure if he should say yes or not. Looking over his shoulder, Yoh snuck into Lyserg's room and pulled out his cell phone (the recharger was actually the top most thing in one of the boxes…oops). Scrolling through his contacts, he found Tamao and called her.

There were a few rings and Yoh realized she was on duty and probably wouldn't answer the phone. He was about to hang up when Tamao's cheerful voice came over the line. "Hello?"

"Tamao! Aren't you at work?"

"Yeah, but I'm hiding behind the shrubbery in the front. What's up, Yoh?" Yoh could almost see the smile on her face. "Are you going to come with me to the Phantom?"

The Phantom of the Opera was Tamao's favorite opera and it was currently playing at a playhouse nearby. She had asked Yoh to go with her, and it was today. She had asked yesterday and apologized for the lack of time, but figured he didn't have work anyway and would go with her. Obviously she didn't count the Lyserg factor in her deductions.

"Um…listen…something came up." Yoh glanced at the door again. "I'm under house arrest."

There was a pause. "Lyserg's not letting you go, right?" Tamao asked, disappointment apparent in her voice.

"Um…" What could you say to that?

"I don't understand why he won't let you go. He doesn't like me, does he? Can you get out?"

With Lyserg's watchdog instincts, Yoh doubted it. "I don't think I'll be able to make it on time."

"Too bad." Tamao sounded so sad and disappointed that Yoh considered escaping out the window…if they weren't on the sixth floor. "Well, I guess we can do something another time. Right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Just don't…you know…"

"Ask in front of Lyserg?"

"Who are you talking to?"

Yoh jumped. Crap he thought he was watching the door. He turned and nearly dropped the phone, the advancing figure of Lyserg walking up to him. Grabbing the phone, Lyserg turned away from Yoh. "Hello?"

Yoh had no idea what Tamao could say to Lyserg in this situation, but he could guess by Lyserg's responses. "No, Yoh's busy today, sorry. He won't be able to make it." Ag, Tamao, suicide. She was practically rubbing salt into the wound. Lyserg was quiet for a few minutes before looking outraged. "No! Shouldn't you be working?" Hanging up with a snap, Lyserg glared at Yoh.

"You never said I couldn't talk to anyone!" Yoh protested as Lyserg pocketed his phone. "Give it back!"

Yoh made an exasperated face as Lyserg ignored him and walked out of the room. Following at his heels, Yoh continued protesting. "You're like my mother! What's wrong, are you _jealous_?"

At this, Lyserg stopped and Yoh grinned. "Are you jealous that Tamao asked me out? That's probably true, since I _am_ your little make out toy." Lyserg turned on him with a frown on his face. "I am not!"

"Then why won't you let me go?"

"You promised…"

"Only because you wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed!" Yoh rolled his eyes. "You probably dragged me over here because you didn't want me to go see her today, is that it?"

"That's not it!"

"Hmm?" Yoh smiled triumphantly at Lyserg's defiant face. "Admit it."

"There's nothing to admit," Lyserg said, walking back to the couch. Yoh couldn't help it; usually it was him being the abused – now he could do some teasing. "You're jealous."

"That's what that bitch said."

Yoh's eyes widened. "Whoa, Lyserg…language! You don't call nice people that."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Then don't tell _me_ what to do."

Lyserg glared at him, exchanging sparks between their eyes. These sparks ignited and in a record time of only two seconds, the two were making out on the couch, both a bit more than a little horny. Yoh pulled away for a breath and grinned.

"You just admitted it."

"I did not!"

…

Hao had come to say goodbye to Lyserg before heading off to work (after missing so much, Silva hadn't given him the day off) and was surprised to see Yoh there. After Lyserg had gone to use the bathroom, Hao interrogated his brother.

"Why are you here?"

"He," Yoh said, gesturing to the bathroom, "won't let me go anywhere. No where _near_ the playhouse, where I could have been with Tamao if it wasn't for a certain someone."

Hao grinned. "I see. Well, he certainly is more protective than I am. Too bad he treats us like things and not people, eh?"

"You too?"

"Yeah. He's called me his toy once."

Yoh raised his eyebrows. With his brother's high ego, he was surprised Lyserg wasn't maimed yet. "And you didn't do anything to him?"

"Could you?" Yoh sighed and shook his head. Lyserg could strategically throwing bouts of cuteness at you that rendered you helpless to his whims. He was truly a Swiss army knife of a person.

"Same reason I haven't broken up with him cause of you, yet, too." Yoh looked guiltily at his brother, who shook his head. "Don't feel bad, Yoh. You know how it is."

Yoh considered this. Yes, he supposed he wouldn't do anything either if he was in Hao's position. He would be a bit disturbed, but as Hao put it, Lyserg didn't think of them as any more than mere playthings. And in a relationship like that, you couldn't be a beggar and a chooser at the same time.

Lyserg walked out and looked at them. "Were you talking about me?"

"Yes," Hao said, putting his hands behind his head. "We were saying how much we worship you and how without you we would just die."

Lyserg smiled. "Exactly." He leaned down to kiss Hao as reward for saying so and Yoh frowned as he recognized a tiny pang of jealousy. Sure, he knew Lyserg didn't like him or anything, but he still didn't like seeing him kiss someone else. Damn, Lyserg's charms were more like a curse on the victim. It also didn't help that Hao was trying to initiate something and Lyserg was responding enthusiastically. Yoh groaned and turned on the television.

...

It had started raining in the late afternoon. Lyserg stared out the balcony window, watching his plants get a drink from the heavens. Through the glass, he saw the reflection of Yoh making himself a sandwich. It had been a few hours since Hao had left for work and the apartment had been relatively quiet.

He remembered how it drizzled like that only a year ago.

"Lyserg, you okay? You've been staring outside for five minutes already." Yoh collapsed on the sofa with sandwich in hand. One good point about Lyserg's place: there was always food. As he bit into the sandwich, Lyserg walked quietly up to him and sat next to him, staring at the blank screen of the turned off television.

Yoh glanced at him. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

"Nothing," Lyserg murmured. "I'm always sad around this time of year."

Yoh swallowed. "What happened this time of year?"

Lyserg shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it." Yoh blinked and continued eating. After a while, he noticed that Lyserg had fallen asleep, nodding cutely next to him. Finishing his sandwich, Yoh laid Lyserg down on the couch and went to get a blanket. After covering up the Brit in a thin sheet, Yoh turned to the clock. It was only five. The Phantom started at seven, and with the way Lyserg was sleeping, he had a feeling that the boy wouldn't be waking any time soon. Tamao wouldn't complain if he just changed their plans just like that.

Then again, Lyserg did seem a little emotionally sad today. Or maybe it was just him.

Pondering his decisions, Yoh watched over Lyserg and turned to the clock again. Making his choice, Yoh went to the door.

…

Lyserg blinked awake, fatigue still taking over. Why was he always sleepy and sluggish on rainy days? Especially today of all days. The rain was still pattering down outside and he sat up, shifting in the sheets over him. It was dark in the apartment, with only the glow of the night light in the kitchen and the red digital clock numbers to bring forth light. According to those red numbers, it was already eight-fifty. Eight-fifty…wait, didn't Tamao say the Phantom started at seven? Looking around, Lyserg saw no movement or things out of place.

"Yoh?" There was silence as Lyserg shift on the couch again. No way…did that twin scamper when he was asleep? That jerk! The feeling of loneliness settled in the darkness, the hunter that strikes when you least expect it. He remembered waking up the same way a year ago, glancing at the clock. It had been three fifteen then in the morning, and he wasn't supposed to be alone, like now. But like then, Lyserg was left in an apartment, home alone. Blinking back tears of that awful memory, Lyserg tried to steady his breathing. No point in having an emotional breakdown, even if he was alone. Hao still had an hour or so of his shift and he doubted Silva would let him run off back home. Besides, it took Hao about fifteen minutes to get back and he was feeling so alone that he didn't think he could wait that long.

"Yoh?" Maybe the twin wasn't gone…but surely he would have responded by now? Lyserg hugged the sheets closer to him, although it was summer and hot. This feeling of foreboding chilled the inner most parts of him and the horrible remnants of the terror he felt a year ago was too overwhelming to take by itself. Biting his lip to repress a whimper, Lyserg squeezed his eyes shut to try and stop the tears from running, but they still streaked down his face in the darkness. Horrible…he thought he'd be okay in a year.

"Lyserg? Are you crying?" Lyserg looked up at the sound of a door. Yoh appeared in the doorway of his bedroom, blinking in surprise. There was a faint sound of television and Lyserg realized the younger twin was probably watching television in his room to keep from accidentally waking him up. Yoh frowned. "You _are_ crying. What's wrong?"

Lyserg wiped his eyes with the sheets, surprised that Yoh could see him crying even in the darkness. Crossing the room and sitting at his feet, Yoh was the image of concern. "Lyserg, why are you crying?"

"I…" Lyserg wiped his tears quickly to save the remaining dignity he had left. "I thought you had left."

Yoh looked surprised, an expression unmistakable even in the darkness. "You said we were going to spend the whole day together, so leaving would be out of the picture, wouldn't it? And you probably would have attacked me sleepwalking if I tried to leave anyway." Chuckling lightly, Yoh fell silent as Lyserg sniffed. Still immensely tired and now relieved, Lyserg yawned.

"I guess you're still tired. I'll let you sleep, then. I'll be in your room." Yoh got up to go when Lyserg reached out and grabbed his shirt. "Wait."

Yoh turned. "Don't…go." Lyserg felt fresh tears again as the memory refused to go away. He needed someone close to chase away the loneliness; any one of his toys would do. Besides, Yoh had a weird way of making you feel better anyway. Yoh sat down slowly again and froze as Lyserg climbed over him and leaned against his chest. "I don't want to be alone right now."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yoh asked, his voice sounding awkward in the darkness. Lyserg nodded, burying his face in Yoh's shoulder. Feeling dampness, Yoh circled one of his arms around the Brit's shoulders, and left it there as he felt no resistance. Getting comfortable with Lyserg lying nearly on top of him, Yoh attempted comfort. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," Lyserg mumbled, sleep obvious in his voice. After a while, Yoh heard Lyserg's breaths become softer and heard a calm pattern in the breaths. This itself along with the quietness of night lulled the younger twin to sleep…

…

He wasn't sure what exactly woke him; the fact that it was morning or the fact that someone was standing over him, watching him. Either way, Yoh's eyes shot open and nearly jumped off the sofa as he saw a pair of brown eyes staring down at him. But these weren't his brother's eyes. In fact, he didn't even know this woman.

"So," she said, daring in her voice. "I come to see my only son and I find him like this, on the couch with someone else _under sheets_. Who are you, sonny?"

Detecting a British accent, Yoh wondered what on earth he could say in this scandalous situation. "I'm Yoh. Yoh Asakura…and I'm Lyserg's neighbor."

"I see," the woman said, a snide expression on her face. "Well, will you be a dear and wake my son up?"

_Son?_ Yoh gently shook Lyserg awake, causing the currently sleeping boy to shift and prop himself up on Yoh's chest. "Hmm? Is it morning already?"

"It sure is!" the woman shouted, jolting Lyserg fully awake. Yoh watched as the green eyes widened and felt pushed back as Lyserg rocketed off him. "Mom! What are you doing here?"

"Why, can't a mother visit her only son?" the woman scoffed. "But I come around, use the spare key my son gave me, walk right in and what do I see? You sleeping around! Why are you always in bed with someone whenever I see you?"

"It's not what it looks like!" Lyserg shouted. "Why are you even _here_?"

"I was just checking up on you, like a caring parent!" the woman shouted back. Yoh backed away into a corner and attempted to melt into the wall. It didn't look like they noticed him anyway. "It's been a year since his death and I was just seeing if you were okay…"

"Don't bring him up!" Lyserg cried, covering his ears. The lady stepped back and crossed her arms in a 'I told you so' fashion. "See? You're not fine. And sleeping around is not going to make it better. What did I do to make you such a…such a…slut?"

Yoh wasn't aware parents could be so harsh to their children.

"Just because you adopted me does _not_ make me your child!" Lyserg yelled, glaring at his stepmother. "I never asked you to take me in!"

"But I did, and under British circumstances, I _am_ your mother! Now stop yelling. You're scaring your guest."

The two turned to Yoh, who attempted to look busy. "Sorry, Yoh," Lyserg said, again, not appearing sorry. "My 'mother' can be quite a handful."

"Did you tell him about Chocolove yet?"

"I told you not to bring him up!" Lyserg looked angrier than he did before, possibly surpassing his grudge against Tamao. "I'm going to take a shower and when I'm done I expect you to be gone!" Without another word, he stormed off to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

The woman sighed and sat down on the coffee table. "Oh, hello there. Yoh, was it? I'm sorry for that debate. I didn't mean for you to get caught up in some parental issues."

Yoh nodded dumbly.

"Sit, sit." The woman waved her hand at the couch, which Yoh stumbled over to and took a nervous seat. "My name is Jean. I'm Lyserg's…mother. Not by blood, as you heard. I adopted him when he was only five. He lost his parents to a horrible house fire. He's had a hard past…I hope you know what you're getting into."

Yoh stared at her dumbfoundedly.

"He has a habit of…well…stretching the truth…" Jean lowered her voice as she heard the sound of running water. "He doesn't mean it…but he was conditioned so at the orphanage. I haven't been able to pound the last parts of the habit out of him yet, but I was able to shape him up a bit."

She fell silent and stared at her hands as if they were the most interesting thing alive. Yoh knew Lyserg would never answer his questions so he decided to ask, never mind being prying. "Who's Chocolove?"

Jean looked up with surprise. "Lyserg never told you?"

Yoh shook his head.

"Well, I understand. Choco's always been a sore past of Lyserg's past. You see, Chocolove was the first boy Lyserg ever fell in love with.

"Then…he was murdered."

To be continued…

Note: This was a short song, so I tried to make a short chapter. Apparently, I thought wrong. Without the stupid writer's block, I can be pretty quick in my writing. Another plot twist next! Who woulda thunk I'd throw out one of my favorite albeit rare pairings: ChocoxLyserg! I must be out of my mind! Review, please!


	6. Northern Downpour

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Track 7 – Pretty. Odd. – Northern Downpour (I encourage you to seriously listen to this. It puts you in the mood of this chapter)

**WARNING: Character death : cause – hate crime**

Chapter Six – Northern Downpour

Lyserg let the water run over him, half closing his eyes as the water flowed down his face and came to a rest on his eyelashes. Dammit, today of all days his mother had to come visit him. She could never come at a time when he was feeling fine and dandy.

And then she had to bring up Chocolove.

Goddamn.

…

Lyserg had been wary of entering collage. He hadn't made many friends in high school due to his 'holier-than-thou' attitude (he couldn't help he was better looking than all the kids in his class!) and his loner personality. None of the other kids from his high school were going to Cambridge so he was entering a new school all by himself. Not that he couldn't handle it. He was Lyserg Diethyl, after all.

His first day would have been traumatizing if he wasn't already used to it. Just walking down the hallway he would receive a few whistles and an occasional slap on the ass. Acting as if nothing happened, Lyserg would just paint a blank expression on his face and continue walking.

First class: political science. _Groan_…

Apparently the teacher was stuck in an elementary school mindset and gave them all assigned seats. Lyserg trudged toward the back to the place he was assigned. The classroom was organized in tables of two and his tablemate was already seated, his feet on the desk, his arms behind his head in a cocky 'Let's-see-if-I-can-pass-if-I-don't-focus' way. Lyserg rolled his eyes to himself as he slid into the seat next to his partner. He was starting to unpack his books when the person spoke.

"Hey, two-in-one."

Lyserg turned, an annoyed expression on his face. "What did you just call me?"

The boy next to him was wearing dark shades and shrugged. "Two-in-one. Cause you've got both beauty and brains. They usually don't come in the same package."

"I can see," Lyserg said sarcastically, looking the boy up and down. Obviously the kid hadn't gotten the memo that they were in the 21st century and that his growing 'fro was kind of…_out_. That or…he grew it on purpose.

"Hey, hey, I'm smart too!"

Lyserg chuckled, not at the joke, but how stupid this person seemed to be. The joker thought otherwise and thought Lyserg had appreciated his attempt at humor. "Hey, we should be in an old TV!"

"Why?" Lyserg asked, not because he wanted to know, but because he had decided, what the hell, if he was stuck with this person they may as well make small talk.

"Cause we're black…" The boy pointed at himself. "And white!" He pointed at Lyserg, who rolled his eyes. The classroom was starting to fill up but the teacher hadn't come in yet. He would in a few minutes, thank god, and this kid would _shut up_…

"Hey, do you know how much a polar bear weights?"

"I don't know."

"Enough to break the ice. Hullo there, I'm Chocolove McDanields, and I'll be your political science partner for this semester." This was so flawlessly executed that Lyserg found himself actually shaking the boy's hand.

Well. It looked like this would be an entertaining year.

…

"He would come home and gripe about this boy, Chocolove, all the time," Jean explained. "He was always saying how he was so stupid and his jokes were so corny."

Yoh listened quietly. This was new…treading into a past which Lyserg refused to reveal. He felt as if he were doing something wrong, but his mother didn't seem to have a problem with telling the story.

"I could tell they were probably friends, since even though Lyserg would complain about Choco, he would always do it with a smile. He was so cute back then. Then of course, it all became clear when Choco started going out with JoAnne…"

…

Lyserg glanced up at Choco, who was sitting across from him at the library. That stupid African was waving stupidly at someone behind him. Lyserg glanced back at a table of girls, spotting the blonde freckled girl who was waving back.

"Who's she?"

"Her name's JoAnne Richards. She's a girl in my math class." Chocolove smiled a stupid grin. "I think she's interested in me. Do you think so?"

"She's got to be totally crazy to," Lyserg said, trying to refocus at his studies at hand. He ignored the constant waving but couldn't ignore any further when Choco said, "She asked me to go with her to the movies today after last period. Do you think I should go?"

"What?" Lyserg ignored the 'shush' from the passing librarian. "Why would you want to go with JoAnne?" Pulling a random rumor from his head, Lyserg continued. "I mean, haven't you heard the things people say about her?"

Choco stopped waving and looked at Lyserg. "What do they say?"

"They say…that she's a horrible shrew and she sleeps around."

Choco laughed. "I think you've got her confused with Jessica Campbell. Now she's a girl I'd never go for. She's got the beauty and the brains but she's a total airhead."

For some reason, Lyserg felt insulted. "Don't say that about her."

"Why?" Choco's face suddenly lit up knowingly. "Oh, I see. You like her."

"I don't!"

"Whatever." Choco looked over Lyserg's head again and smiled. "But JoAnne's pretty, isn't she? If she asked you, would you go out with her?"

"No."

"Ignore Jessica for a minute."

"Jessica's got nothing to do with it!"

Choco smiled lazily. "I'm gonna skip eighth period and get out early so I can get ready."

"You're going out with JoAnne?"

"Yeah." Choco smiled again. "I like her."

Eighth period rolled around and home econ did not miss Chocolove McDanields. He walked back to his dorm room to get ready and found someone already inside. That was strange; his roommate Matt Dinka should have been in World History.

Lyserg was sitting on his bed, cross armed and an angry expression on his face. Choco looked amused as he shut the door behind him and started pulling out clothes. "What are you doing here, Lyserg?"

"I have a free period and I'm preventing you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"What?" Choco laughed. "I don't know what you've got against JoAnne, but whatever it is, I'll make sure you two never meet, okay?"

"You make it sound like she's your girlfriend!"

"She might be, after today," Choco said, grinning. The grin faltered as he noticed Lyserg's face. "Don't look at me like that."

"How can I help it? She's a horrible person." Choco laughed. "If you weren't a boy, I'd think you were jealous. Or maybe you like JoAnne yourself!"

"That's _not_ it!" Lyserg protested, feeling heat rise into his face. "She's not the one I like!"

"Then who is it?"

Lyserg glanced at the floor before taking a deep breath. "You."

Choco turned, a totally comical expression on his face. Lyserg would have laughed if he was in a laughing mood. "Tell me you're kidding."

"Nope. Not even close."

Choco laughed, and Lyserg was this close to wringing his neck when the boy had crossed the room and kissed him on the lips. It was made a lot more convenient that they were already on the bed. Matt Dinka had reached for the door and heard the unmistakable sounds of making out inside. Doing a complete 180, he turned and headed for the cafeteria.

JoAnne Richards was stood up that day.

…

"Mom, I'm pregnant."

Jean's mouth popped open for a moment. Her son was pregnant? No wait, he was a boy. Why did she even consider it? It was true he was so pretty he could have passed for a girl, but… "Nice try, Lyserg."

"Alright, I'm not pregnant." Lyserg smiled. "But I could be. You know, if I was a girl."

"God, I hope you used protection," Jean sniffed. Then she turned and looked at her son again. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Dead serious."

"Did you use protection?! God help me if there's a girl in the living room saying she has your child, I will rip out…"

"Relax…" Lyserg chuckled and his face turned pink. "It wasn't with a girl."

Jean let out a sigh of relief. One problem dodged. She looked at Lyserg again, this time with a more scanning eye. True, he had never shown any interest in girls, but that didn't necessarily mean that…then again, maybe it all added to the same since he _could_ have passed for a girl. "Then who was it with?"

Lyserg's mysterious smile irritated his mother. "Well? Was it Choco?"

It had been a wild guess but Jean knew she had hit the mark when Lyserg gave her a surprised look. "Oh, then I guess it's okay. But I haven't even met this kid yet. And now you say you've had sex with him already?"

"You've never met him before?" Lyserg frowned. "I was sure you knew who he was."

"I know who he is based on everything you tell me, but I haven't actually seen him before."

"Oh. Well, I guess you can come over someday after school to meet him."

Lyserg had said this with the full intention that she should tell him first. So he was caught unawares as she searched for him on campus while he was in Choco's room…hmm hmm hmm-ing.

In the dorms, there were no locks since teachers thought it would be safer that way. However, it was an unspoken code that if the dorm room door is closed, that there were some things that people were doing inside that they didn't want others to know about. They usually involved beds and an absence of clothes. For this reason, no one was lingering near Choco's dorm room, but Lyserg had told his mother which dorm his political science partner was in. With only a knock, Jean opened the door, revealing a bed and a flurry of sheets. There was a laugh and Lyserg poked his head out. "Hey, what about the dorm door rule…" He trailed off as he saw it was his mother, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"OH MY GOD MOM WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Choco poked his head out of the sheets, a satisfied look on his face. "Oh, hullo Ms. Diethyl. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Chocolove. And Lyserg WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SLEEPING WITH SOMEONE WHEN IT'S STILL LIGHT OUTSIDE?"

The girls in the next dorm room instantly pressed their ears to wall to hear this juicy gossip.

Lyserg groaned in embarrassment and covered his head with the sheets. Chocolove just smiled simply. "It's not what it looks like. It's just cold."

"Sure, it's only fifty outside," Jean said, glaring daggers at the covered head of her son, "but that does _not_ justify you two rolling around without clothes on."

"How much does a polar bear weigh?"

"DON'T TRY AND CHANGE THE SUBJECT!" Choco winced at the loudness and slumped down in submission. Jean took a deep breath.

"But I'm glad I met you…despite the circumstances. I feel better about my son sleeping with someone I know. And you don't seem shady."

"Mom…" Lyserg groaned, from under the sheets. "Could you please leave?"

"Oh, alright. Boys will be boys." There was a giggling from the next room and Jean tapped on the walls. "Privacy, girls!"

Much to say, after that, Jean was known as the 'dorm moderator'.

…

It had been a pretty spectacular freshman year. Lyserg considered it a good sign that he and Choco were still going strong, as he had seen so many good couples drift apart over the course of the two semesters. Summer vacation had been quite fun, and the England heat seemed to crank up the passion between the two. By now, Jean had come to respect the rule that closed doors mean _closed doors_.

So by sophomore year, the two were still hot and heavy. Alright, so they respected each other not to make out during class.

But after class was another story.

Lyserg smiled to himself as he finished his midterms. If midterms was done, it meant it was close to their one year anniversary. He spotted Choco in a crowd of students and was making his way toward him when he noticed the untalented comedian was with someone else.

JoAnne Richards?

The two looked quite chummy and Choco was talking to the blonde in quiet undertones. JoAnne's eyes widened and she nodded enthusiastically while whispering something back. It looked like the two were in the midst of either a plot or confessing their love. Feeling jealousy take over, Lyserg pushed his way over and latched himself on Choco's arm like a jealous girlfriend. JoAnne gave Choco a look before smiling and waving. "I guess I'll see you later, Choco!" Lyserg bristled as he heard her call him by his nickname.

"What were you doing with JoAnne?" Lyserg demanded, as they got out of earshot of the blonde walking away.

"We were just talking!" Choco protested.

"Really? Does talking with a friend include whispering and getting pretty close and personal?"

"Lyserg, don't be jealous. We weren't doing anything."

"I'm not jealous." Lyserg stuck out his bottom lip and Choco laughed.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget that our anniversary is this Friday. Calm down." Lyserg smiled, relieved that Choco's attention had turned back to him. Although it was a bit troubling that when Lyserg had gone to find him all week, Choco was always talking to JoAnne. One time he had gone to Choco's room, the door was half shut and one of JoAnne's friends, Patty, was sitting outside like a guard. One look and she had jumped up. "Lyserg!" she called loudly. "What brings you here?"

"I'm trying to visit Choco," Lyserg said simply, pointing to the door behind her. He tried to move past her but she quickly blocked the way. "What are you trying to hide?"

"Nothing," Patty said innocently. "Hey, listen! I heard the new lunch menu was posted! Come see it with me!" Without a word, Patty placed an iron grip on Lyserg's arm and pulled him along. Lyserg turned to the door and caught a glimpse of blonde hair before they were too far along to go back.

Lyserg had confronted Choco numerous times but Choco insisted that he and JoAnne were just friends. Although Lyserg wondered when Choco had shown up with a red rose. It was Thursday and Lyserg was wondering when Choco would give it to him when he saw the African showing it to JoAnne. JoAnne had looked positively thrilled and Choco had looked so relieved that Lyserg debated whether or not to do anything. The rose was nowhere to be seen after lunch.

That night, as Lyserg was making his way to Choco's room (without a guard this time), he walked into the boy making a call to someone.

Choco glanced up briefly before continuing. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Yeah, he's here…see you then…" With a click, he hung up and looked up at Lyserg's frown. "Who were you calling?"

"Your mother." Lyserg collapsed on the desk chair, ready to give Choco the silent treatment. Insulting his intelligence like that. Although his plan had been foiled as the boy kissed him a few seconds later.

That Friday came along with the sun and a cloudless sky. Despite being showered with kisses, Choco just smiled as Lyserg asked him if they were going to do anything that night. Too bad there were classes that day. After an unmanageably long day, Lyserg spotted Choco near the front gates. As he walked closer, Lyserg spotted her. JoAnne. She had a bag around her shoulder and two looked like they were going shopping.

"Where are you going?" Lyserg asked, not bothering hiding his surprise. JoAnne smiled at him but he didn't look at her.

"Listen, JoAnne and I are going to get some stuff so wait in my dorm with me, okay? Matt should still be there so he can keep you company. I'll be back before seven, I promise."

"Can I come with you two?"

"We'd rather you not," JoAnne said, shaking her head. Lyserg glared at her, who stared back with a strangely blank look.

"Nothing's going to happen," Choco reassured. "We're just going to get some stuff. Just go back to my dorm, alright?"

Just like that, Choco had seemingly wanted to get rid of him. Feeling hurt, Lyserg trudged back to Choco's room, where Matt was sitting, studying…or so he said. It seemed he was busy studying his phone than his books.

"Where's Chocolove?" Matt asked, not looking up from his phone.

"I don't know. Somewhere with JoAnne."

"JoAnne Richards?" Matt looked up at Lyserg, who was sitting dejected on the bed. "That girl who likes him? Why'd you let him go off with her for?"

"He wanted to. They were 'doing' something."

"Hmm…looks like we both know what that means." Matt tapped his chin thoughtfully, his messy brown hair falling all over his face. In Lyserg's opinion, he looked like a retired band lackey.

"What does it mean?" Not that he really wanted to know, but hearing it would give him more reassurance. Besides, maybe Matt would have something good to say…like Choco was just setting her up just to shoot her down or something along those lines.

"It probably means that she's trying to steal him away from you. And he's been talking about her lately." Matt shook his head. "I don't know if you've still got a chance." He looked up and saw Lyserg staring at the ground with tears in his eyes. "Not that that means anything!" Matt said hastily. "It's just me…I could be wrong!"

"But he was interested in her before he went out with me," Lyserg murmured, trying not to cry in front of someone else. He hated crying and he made sure he never had to cry unless he could help it. "It's our anniversary…"

Like magic, Matt appeared in front of him, holding two glasses of liquor. Lyserg wasn't sure what it was, but he could smell the alcohol. "Listen, don't cry. Things are gonna get better. A drink's going to help it feel better."

"I don't drink."

"Just one won't hurt." One drink turned into three or four and although Lyserg was a bit tipsy, he was sober enough to know what Matt meant when he kissed him, and quite capable of coherent thought as vertical movement became more horizontal. He was a mixture of shame and regret as he lay in the sheets next to Matt, who was _still_ trying to comfort him. How did this happen?

As if on cue, the door shot open as Choco appeared _with Jean in tow_, holding a huge bouquet of the red rose that he had shown JoAnne, along with a box of chocolates and a pair of tickets. "Happy Anniversary Lyserg! Your mom's gonna drive us to…" He was cut off as the scene in front of him actually registered in his mind and he was rendered speechless. Jean leapt into action.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN BED WITH MY SON?"

Matt leapt out and was completely dressed in a record of five seconds. Escaping before he could help Lyserg explain himself, he ran out, only turning to Lyserg and saying a quick "See you later," with a wink.

Lyserg flushed with embarrassment and shame as he covered himself with the sheets. Choco stared at him incredulously. "What were you _doing_?"

"I was…" There was nothing to say. It was exactly what it looked like. "What were you doing?"

"I was buying these with JoAnne. I thought you would be happier if I got a girl's perspective in getting your gift. So I asked the only girl I'm friends with, JoAnne, what I should get you. I would have gotten these earlier if I hadn't wanted them to be fresh." Choco's face became hurt. "Then I come back to find you with Matt…?"

It had all been an misunderstanding and he hadn't trusted Choco with JoAnne. Lyserg's sight became blurry as tears filled his eyes the second time that day. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…I just…" His voice choked up and he closed his eyes. "I really didn't mean to, Choco, please believe me…"

"I don't know what to believe." Choco turned and walked out of the room as Jean walked up to her son with a mixture of anger and disappointment in her face. "Lyserg, can you explain what happened?"

"I'm not cheating on Choco, honest…" Lyserg wiped his eyes with the sheets. "I thought he was cheating on _me_, to tell the truth, with the way he was always hanging out with JoAnne…he told me to come back here and wait for him and Matt was talking to me and then he got out booze…"

Jean shook her head with a tisk. "Lyserg, what have I told you about boys and alcohol and what they'll try to do to you?"

"It was an accident," Lyserg insisted. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"How drunk were you?"

Lyserg hesitated and Jean sighed. "Lyserg, you mean to tell me you weren't even that intoxicated and you crawled into bed with that boy?"

"It's not like that," Lyserg sniffed. He had hurt Choco so much they were practically over. Fresh tears sprang into his eyes. So annoying! He wasn't a cry baby! "It was a mistake, mom. I don't know why it happened. I didn't want it to."

Jean rubbed her son's back comfortingly. "What's done is done."

"But now Choco's gonna _hate_ me…I don't want him to." Lyserg buried his head in his arms.

"After this, how do you really feel about Choco? Tell the truth this time." Her son had been infamous for telling lies, ever since she had brought him home from the orphanage. It was a horrible habit those awful children had taught him, and maybe it was an instinct for survival for him there. But every time he cried, it was like he was vulnerable to everything and didn't have the strength to muster another white lie.

"I don't want him to hate me. I…I love him…" Lyserg trailed off, quietly crying in bed. Jean sighed again. This was the kind of drama you saw in soap operas. It was never meant for the stage of real life. "I'll try and talk to him and make this better. I liked you two together anyway." Jean patted Lyserg on the back. "Get some clothes on and collect yourself."

…

Yoh hung onto every word Jean said, as if it were an excerpt from a mind-bending novel. "What happened next?" he asked breathlessly.

"Well, I did what I said. I found Chocolove and talked to him."

…

Jean wandered the campus until she found Chocolove sitting in an empty spot in the cafeteria. It was deserted and dark save the light Choco was sitting under. Surrounded by the flowers and chocolate, Choco sighed as he saw Jean come closer.

"Hey, Ms Diethyl…sorry you had to come over here for nothing…" Choco sighed and rubbed his head. "It's been a long day."

"It has." Jean took a seat across of Choco, the rose aroma dancing in her direction. "What are you going to do with these flowers?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll hand them out tomorrow."

"Are you going to break up with Lyserg?"

Choco sighed deeply. "I don't want to, but after this, what else can I do?"

Jean watched him and he continued after a long silence. "I thought we were good. I don't know how this could have happened."

"Lyserg was jealous."

Choco looked up. "Of who, JoAnne? Why? I told him we were just friends."

Jean shook her head with a smile. "You know Lyserg long enough to know he gets dependant easily. Being separated from his parents and raised in an orphanage hasn't been easy on him and he doesn't trust easily. Seeing that he trusts you like he does is a miracle. Don't tell him I told you this, but Lyserg is pretty clingy and doesn't like other people getting close to the people he holds close. He thinks they'll try and take his loved ones away like how fate took away his blood parents."

Choco looked at her, a bit of skepticism gone but still doubtful. "But how does that justify sleeping with someone else?"

"Nothing." Jean shrugged with a sad smile. "I can't explain that away, I'm afraid." She clasped her hands together like in prayer. "But I think it was just an honest mistake."

"He didn't look like he couldn't stop it."

Jean considered this. "You know better than I do. Tell me, if he didn't know about you planning with JoAnne, do you think he would do this if you said you had to be a bit late in taking him out tonight?"

Choco shook his head. "He's not that kind of person."

"Jealousy makes people do bad things, Chocolove. I think you know that. But he is honestly sorry. Have you seen him cry before?"

Choco shook his head again.

"Lyserg never cries, Choco. He hates it. He thinks it shows weakness although I tell him that knowing when the cry is true strength. He's not much of a crier, no matter what. He broke his arm when he was seven and although the doctor told me he was in excruciating pain, he just sat there listlessly as if he was fine. When he cries, he usually is earnest in why he cries, and in this case, he's really sorry." Jean sat back. "Now it's up to you. You know Lyserg. You know he won't do this again. Only you can make him feel better now. I have nothing left to say." She blinked. "Incidentally, does this place have any coffee?"

"Yeah, over there on the back wall." Jean smiled at him encouragingly as she went to get herself some. Choco thought about what she had said. She had made a few points, and they had been good ones, but there was just the nagging fact that Lyserg had _slept_ with someone else. He was sure if he had caught Lyserg making out with Matt, he wouldn't be this skeptical in going back…

But what Jean had said was true. He knew Lyserg would never do this again. This had been a big road bump in their relationship, but he cared enough to check before starting the car again. He scooped up the flowers, leaving the chocolate in Jean's care. It wasn't a chocolate kind of mood right now.

Choco went back to his dorm to see Lyserg sitting on his bed, fully dressed with tears still streaming down his face. "Lyserg…"

"Choco…I'm so_ so_ sorry…" Lyserg looked at him with glittery green eyes. "I know you won't believe me but I really am sorry. I do care about you and this really wasn't supposed to happen but it was just a mistake although I know you can't make a mistake in sleeping with someone but this one was different but I'm not trying to make excuses for myself…" Choco smiled as he sat in front of a babbling Lyserg. The other time Lyserg had spoken this fast and so incoherently was when he was trying to apologize for taking part in a racial barb. That time Choco had known Lyserg had been sincerely sorry due to all the 'sorry's he had heard (it rose to about a hundred in only two minutes). Placing a hand on the latter's wet cheek, Choco lifted Lyserg's head so they made eye contact. "Are you truly sorry for that?"

"Very, very, very, very, _very_ sorry!" Choco chuckled at how childish Lyserg sounded. "Do you promise never to ever do that again?"

"Never! I promise on my life. I swear on my life I'll never do that again with someone else. You can kill me if I do. I'm not lying. We can sign in blood if you'd like. You have my permission to kill me if I ever cheat on you again and I'll give you the murder weapon too and I'll write a note to the police telling them not to persecute you, oh I know, we can get my mom to be our witness and…" Lyserg was cut off as Choco kissed him. "Well, then," Choco said, smiling. "I guess we shouldn't let this be how we remember our first anniversary, hmm?"

Lyserg smiled weakly at him. "But you're still gonna be mad at me, I can tell."

"Don't be silly, Lyserg. You said you were sorry, and besides, _you're so cute I could never stay mad at you._ Disappointed, yes, but not mad."

"Oh, I'm so glad!" Lyserg flung his arms around Choco's neck and kissed him again. "Now…where are we going?"

…

That had been a horrible road bump but the two had gotten over it quite fine. However, the other member of the scandal had _not_ been fine with it. Matt Dinka had had a crush on Lyserg ever since Choco had brought him over and he had thought that night would have been his ticket to the greenette's heart. Thought he realized he had thought wrong when he saw them still together weeks after that. With Lyserg's newfound dedication, Matt knew he couldn't fight this head-on, so he sought some help from his brother, a senior.

Choco waved to a bunch of heavyset jocks as he walked over to Lyserg. "Who are they?"

"Just some seniors," Choco said airily. "They were laughing at my jokes in study hall."

Lyserg glanced at them. "They don't look so good." The seniors were slapping high fives to each other and Lyserg saw one shove a student into the drinking fountain, effectively water boarding the poor student without the board.

"They're just misunderstood," Choco said cheerfully. He looked at Lyserg. "Don't tell me you're jealous about some guys now."

Lyserg laughed. "No, it's just…they don't seem right, that's all."

Lyserg wasn't jealous of these seniors…more worried. Chocolove was hanging out with these kids more often and Lyserg knew they weren't one of the unpopular jerks. Choco hadn't been swept up in the popularity storm, but it did help that there were some higher ups listening to his jokes. Lyserg frowned as Choco came in with a few bruises.

"Oh, they just got a little rough as they were laughing," Choco dismissed. "They didn't do it on purpose."

"Are you sure?" Lyserg asked. Surely hitting someone so hard they got a bruise couldn't possibly be an accident. But he wasn't the person to be talking about accidents.

Matt had moved out of the dorm and into his brother's dorm so they had the whole dorm to themselves. Matt was still staring at him often, but Lyserg always found refuge in Choco's arms. After seeing them, Matt would always have a knack of disappearing.

This was collage, not high school. Problems could be fixed the grown up way, no violence involved.

It had been late one night, ten o' clock to be exact, as Lyserg was able to get out of some extra credit he was doing for math. Who knew numbers could be so bothersome. After a short make out session, Choco stood up to go. "Listen, Lyserg, I'll be back around midnight. The guys want to take me to this stand up comedy bar and try me out."

"What?" Lyserg felt something stab him in the gut. "It's late, Choco. Don't go."

"I'll be back, I promise." Choco laughed. "JoAnne's not coming!"

"I don't care about her anymore, but Choco…don't go. I have a bad feeling about this."

"No, the guys told me all about this place! The owner needs new faces. I'll be perfect there. It's only a few minutes away from campus. I'll be back with you before you know it. You can wait for me, right?"

Lyserg bit his lip. "I really don't think you should go." He couldn't shake this feeling of foreboding. "Please don't go."

"Lyserg, this could be my big break. Listen, if it's shady, I'll get out of there and come back. Okay?"

Lyserg took a deep breath, ready to resist, when he let it out and nodded. "Fine. I'll be here waiting for you then."

"Good." Choco kissed him on the forehead. "Wish me luck."

"You'll need it."

Choco gave Lyserg a mock insulted look. "Oh, shush. See you later."

"Yup."

…

"Listen, guys, this doesn't look like the place."

The group of seniors exchanged looks. "Choco, my man. We're sure the door's here somewhere." They had led Choco into an alley. "They don't like having a big front door. Some jokes get political fast and some people can be haters."

"Oh." Choco searched the walls. "Well, I don't feel a door here." It was so dark and he was so preoccupied that he didn't hear or see the seniors take out some metal pipes they had stashed from economics class and was under attack before he could even move.

"Take that, slave."

"Go back to where you came from, dirt."

"Leave the white chicks for the white guys, loser." There were some laughter. "Lyserg's a dude, Marcus!"

Marcus was Matt's older brother.

"Dude, his 'fro's so thick I bet we could hit him and he wouldn't even feel it."

"Try it!"

"Dude, I hope that ain't blood."

"Whatever. He needs to learn his lesson."

…

Lyserg woke up with a jolt. Something was wrong…something was very wrong. For one thing, it was already three in the morning and the dorm was as dark as could be. Second, Choco wasn't here. Feeling shivers dance up his back, Lyserg grabbed something to put around him as he walked out of the dorm. Where was Choco? He should be here.

"Hey, Lyserg."

Matt Dinka was walking down the hall toward him. Lyserg grimaced slightly before deciding to take a risk. "Hey, Matt…have you seen Choco?"

Matt put on a blank face. "No. I don't know where he is." Lyserg had learned to read other's lies and no one could put one past him. Matt was not a special case.

Who cared if the police yelled at him for a false alarm? His instincts weren't usually wrong anyway. "Hello? I'd like to report a missing person."

…

Blood was never something Lyserg liked to see. Now it was in an abundance in front of him, pools…rivers…oceans, even. For some reason, his eyes were dry as drizzle poured down over him. The police had roped off the alley and his mother was standing a few feet behind him with an umbrella. He couldn't take being under shelter. Not when Choco's body was just sprawled in front of him.

Killed by blows to the head.

…

The water in the bathroom stopped just as Jean finished her story. Yoh sat there, immobilized by the truth. There was a long moment of silence, as if dedicated to Choco's memory as the door opened and Lyserg walked out, fully dressed with the anger washed off his face. "I thought I told you to leave, mom."

Jean looked at him with a rather motherly expression.

Yoh didn't have to say anything. He stood up and walked over to Lyserg and enveloped him in a hug that Lyserg did not resist. Never mind his hair was wet and getting his own face wet. Yoh closed his eyes. There was no way he could try and understand the pain Lyserg had gone through.

Comfort can be said without words.

To be continued…

Note: What can I possibly say? Now we know partially why Lyserg treats the twins the way he does. I cranked up the angst as much as I could. I promise that the next chapters will be completely happy and more drama than tragedy. I do not own the song Date Rape, where the line 'one drink turned into three or four' came from. I also do not own Tsubasa, where Fai says 'Sometimes knowing when to cry is true strength'. Thank you for reading and going through this chapter, which did not take long to write but made me sad for the rest of the day. Review.


	7. When the Day Met the Night

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Track Eight – Pretty. Odd. – When the Day Met the Night

Chapter Seven – When the Day Met the Night

Ah. The end of summer. Every kid's nightmare. The time of the year where children cram all of summer's fun into a few days before the dreaded event of school. Trying to kill all their brain cells before the time to learn came back to haunt them. Lyserg was no different, skipping Smooth E shifts to romp around the city with which ever twin came to visit him first that morning.

But alas, the first day of school is inevitable.

Lyserg groaned as he trudged up the front gates of the collage. He should be over this, he was older now. So why was he feeling like an elementary school boy? And it was even worse that he couldn't find someone he knew to talk to and make it seem like he wasn't as lonerish and weird as he probably looked right now. Ag he hated _hated_ being the new kid. Maybe he should have taken Hao up on the invite to consort him to the first class but he knew anything involving Hao would lead to something embarrassing that everyone would remember him for. So that was out if he hoped to make at least a good first impression.

Well, it seemed that people here didn't make much of a big deal of him as they did in England. At least he could walk down the hallway without being molested. Maybe that was good. No Chocoloves or Matts or heartbreak here. He made it to his first classroom safely and without the bother of assigned seats, took a seat way in the back. It didn't matter that he probably needed glasses and couldn't quite see the board very well, but he liked being lonerish. Who cared if people thought he was weird? Some people would somehow end up being physically attracted to him anyway.

"Lyserg!"

Lyserg blinked. He recognized that voice…oh, please. No. Please. _Anything_ but that. He tried to act like he hadn't heard anything but the person who called his name bound up to him with a grin. Lyserg glanced up to look at Tamao, smiling in casual clothes and the usual black headband on her head. "I didn't know you went here!"

"I'm a transfer," Lyserg said coolly. "What are you doing here? Catering?" Please say you're just catering from Starbucks. Please.

He should have known better. "Nope! I go here too!" Tamao smiled at him as if he had never held a grudge against her (and still did) over the summer. "It's surprising to see you here! I hope we can be friends!" Lyserg saw she was eager to put the past behind them but asking Yoh out in front of him was still unforgivable the last time he checked. Giving a noncommittal nod, Lyserg ignored the hand offered to him. Tamao noticed the rejection and pulled her hand back. "Well," she said, feeling her positive mood dampen for a moment, "I hope we have a great year!"

Great year? That wish was gone.

…

Hao was being _so_ bothersome at the moment.

After being ignored when he asked Yoh the millionth time why he seemed to know Lyserg better than he did and being ignored, Hao was taking it upon himself to flick blueberries from a spoon at Yoh, who was standing yards away from him at the counter. Presently, Silva had also joined in. Yoh rolled his eyes. He didn't think Lyserg would like him telling Hao about Chocolove. After all, it wasn't the Brit who told him about the murder, and even after he found out, Lyserg didn't like talking about it. Seeing as the greenette hadn't outwardly told them before, Yoh knew it was something Lyserg liked to keep secret. He felt a little bad knowing the truth, but he felt as if he knew the boy more and could slightly understand why he denied being in a relationship. After a relationship that ended so violently and sudden like that, Yoh knew that he personally would abstain from dating for maybe a couple years.

Still, that did not explain why Lyserg would just randomly grab him and make out with him.

"Stop!" Yoh turned and a blueberry ricocheted off his nose. Hao cheered and high fived Silva. "Good aim, Silv!"

"You guys are such a-holes!" Yoh grabbed a handful of banana and crushed it in his hand before chucking it across the room. Oops, he shouldn't have done that. Now he had just initiated a food fight, and knowing Silva, the manager would join in a heartbeat. Couldn't anyone be serious around here?

The banana hit Hao in the face and the older twin licked at it. "Facial!" he shouted. "Although, utouto, cucumber would be much preferable."

"Thanks for telling me, onii-chan. Next time I'll chuck a cucumber at you."

"Oh boys…" Silva laughed. "You two are so tight. How long have you been such brotherly brothers?"

Brotherly brothers? "Well, we've always been…you know…" Hao crossed his fingers.

"Twisted?" Silva guessed. Hao laughed.

"No, tight! It's the twin bond we share. But now we've got more in common so we're a lot more open with each other. Kind of."

"More in common?" Silva asked. Then his face lit up like a kid at Christmas. "Oh, you mean a certain Mr. Lyserg Diethyl that is currently off at collage at the moment?"

"Whoa! Great job, Silv! Two hundred for you!" Hao and Silva laughed as Yoh groaned.

…

Hao was just fifteen and he was already the biggest pimp on the high school campus. He had discovered the use of his looks and charm much earlier that Yoh and was already using them to his advantage. Girls (and occasionally, guys) followed him around and he was notoriously known to have at least the whole sophomore class girls go out with him ("There's enough Hao Asakura to go around!"). It seemed he was also going out with a few bi guys from other schools with his policy of 'loose, free, and open' relationships. He wasn't likely to say no to anyone. By anyone, he really meant _anyone_. He wasn't afraid to flaunt anyone he had at his shoulder, be it male, female, animal. Not that he had an animal to go out with, but should he had…

Yoh was only kept alive in the dog-eat-dog world of high school with Hao's protection and status of 'the pimp's entourage'. Yoh was an unlikely tagalong but would help Hao in any scheme or mess that he would get involved in. Yoh was in the truest sense the best brother a twin could have, but Hao wasn't afraid to abuse Yoh's flexible personality and carefree attitude. The two had shared the principle's office more than a hundred times already.

"Listen, utouto, you just gotta talk to some girls. I'll lend you some of mine."

"Eh…girls are boring." Yoh frowned. He was listening to music. Why did Hao have to bother him now?

"Oh, you're so slow, Yoh. Oh, see that girl over there? Her name's Anna. Go talk to her. Comment her on her hair or something." Hao gave Yoh a push (alright, a shove) in Anna's direction. Stumbling over to her, Yoh tapped her on the shoulder. The fierce blonde turned, along with the rest of her group.

"Hi…your hair's so…blonde today."

Hao winced as the whole hallway heard the slap Yoh received. Well, maybe his brother wasn't quite the charmer. But they shared the same looks, right? If only Yoh didn't look stoned all the time.

By the time they finished collage, Hao had already become an adult in the truest sense…while Yoh hadn't even had a girlfriend yet. Yoh didn't seem to care at all and had shuffled back home like a nerd who stays in his mother's basement. Not that he hadn't had offers, but he didn't quite care for a girlfriend and Hao had a feeling that should his brother have accepted one girl, she'd probably break up with him after he fell asleep during a date. If Yoh could fall asleep during class _and_ lunch, he wouldn't have put it past him.

…

Lyserg really wished Tamao would stop trying to be his friend.

"Lyserg, want to sit with me during lunch?" Tamao asked cheerfully as they walked down the hallway.

"No."

"Oh, okay. Well…um, do you have a lab partner?"

"Yes." Actually he didn't, but he'd worry about that later.

Tamao pouted. "I don't get it. I haven't said or done anything to you but you're mad at me or something."

"Or something." He really wished Tamao would just go away.

"Is this about Yoh?"

"No!" Lyserg turned to her. "It's got nothing to do with him."

"Yes it does, or else you wouldn't get so mad." Tamao frowned. "Do you like him?"

"No."

Tamao wasn't sure if she should believe him, but hey, he had close to given her the good to go sign! "Oh, alright. I'll get off your back." Tamao fell back and started talking to someone else.

Whew. Finally.

…

"How was school?"

"You sound like my mother." Lyserg lounged on the sofa, doing homework, as Yoh was busy making something in the kitchen. Hao had had to stay after his shift to clean up after some fruit mess they had gotten into. Yoh had just managed to get out of it by saying some wild excuse that Silva accepted. But Silva was not going to let himself do all the work so he dragged Hao with him in the dark hole of clean up.

"So how was it?"

"You'd like it there," Lyserg said shortly, still busy with his homework. "Tamao also goes to school with me."

"Does she?" Lyserg glared at Yoh as the latter's voice betrayed interest. "Don't get any ideas."

"Like what?"

"Like you'll use me to get to her." Lyserg stuck his lip out. "Cause I won't do it."

"I wouldn't ask you to. I'd talk to her myself." Yoh laughed as a textbook was thrown in his direction. "Calm down, Lyserg! You'll hurt yourself."

"I'll hurt _you_, you air head!" Dropping his books on the ground, Lyserg launched himself at Yoh, tackling him and his bowl of Easy Mac onto the floor. Ignoring the spilled noodles and cheese, Lyserg pressed his lips on Yoh's, smiling as he felt the younger twin respond eagerly. "I need something to help me relieve stress on my first day."

"You should have said something earlier," Yoh chuckled, wrapping his arms around the younger's waist. They started to kiss again, ignoring when Hao walked in, seeming oblivious to the two making out. "Well, don't make me clean that mess up," he said, gesturing to the spilled macaroni and cheese. He collapsed in the midst of Lyserg's collage books and turned on the TV.

"Why do you two always come over?" Lyserg asked, breaking away from Yoh. "You guys have places of your own."

"Yeah, but we just naturally flock over to your place," Hao said aimlessly. "You're a magnet, Lyserg. You just pull us in. It's like when you walk up the stairs, you naturally migrate over to your room and you don't quite know why."

"What he said," Yoh said quickly, his arms still around Lyserg. Snuggling amidst the mess of orange on the floor, Yoh leaned against the island in the kitchen with Lyserg against his chest.

Before long, Hao had gotten so swept up in the soccer game he was watching ("Goddamn you, number seventy! The goal is in that fucking direction! You idiot!"), the two were left forgotten, watching the cheese harden on the polished hardwood floor. They would have continued about Lyserg's first day of school, except Hao had suddenly gotten more explicit with his language and Lyserg pulled Yoh toward the balcony. The umbrella trees were still giving off adequate shade and the plants were still as vibrant as they had been the first time Yoh had seen them. Yoh was vaguely surprised that there wasn't grass growing on the ground below him and realized that might have been a stupid thought. He was about to open his mouth and ask when Lyserg connected their lips again, kissing him despite the open view for Hao to ogle at them.

When they broke away, Yoh realized that Lyserg was giving off the same glow as he was the day he met them, the same familiar mischievous smile…and those eyes. Those brilliant green eyes. The pools of green that hid the tragic past and almost enticed you to drown yourself in them. Yoh wondered how things would have been like if he hadn't met this beautiful person in front of him, still smiling at him with his arms around his neck. He would have definitely been overwhelmed in this city and probably would have gone back groveling to his mother. But now he had a reason (or excuse) to do good or else he might be evicted and go somewhere away from this London native.

"Well, let's talk about your first day."

"Why should I?" Lyserg grinned as he pulled Yoh onto a lawnchair.

"Because. We're just going to sit and talk for a little while. I'll give you a smile in exchange for your time."

Lyserg laughed. "Yeah, because I've always wanted a smile of my very own. But alright…just because _you_ asked." Lyserg cuddled up to Yoh. "Just don't leave me all alone when it gets boring, alright?"

"Just tell me what happened."

So Lyserg did, not leaving out the nitty gritty details of getting lost, smart-mouthing the teachers, and avoiding Tamao. So much detail, in fact, that Yoh was sure he could say he had been with Lyserg on his first day and could describe with detail each class Lyserg had gone to. He was sure that with ordinary people, they would have been boring as hell, but somehow Lyserg's voice and his wonderful green eyes kept him interested and glued next to this boy.

And he realized that despite the way Lyserg treated him and how he knew he shouldn't because it would be useless to feel so, Yoh knew he loved Lyserg. Loved the way the boy always found some way to get under your skin but it didn't bother you too much. Lyserg was a typical abuser in a relationship, not afraid to hit you if you got on his nerves and not thinking twice before calling you every single name in the book just for fun. Not to mention he could lie without batting an eye. That worried Yoh a bit, but he knew (well, he hoped) Lyserg would feel bad about it in the end and end up telling you anyway.

Despite the way Lyserg would usually act, Yoh also knew that the greenette had a good heart. He always thought you had to have a good heart to truly be in a relationship, otherwise you'd just end up hurting your partner. Lyserg's past with Chocolove had shown him a side of the Brit that he had never known since the latter refused to show it.

Not that Yoh was so good that it was all based on personality. After all, he was a guy, and he was also attracted to physicality. Lyserg was a damn good kisser even though he let Yoh have the controls. Not to mention that the greenette had a strangely feminine body that seemed to click with his, like a key in a lock. He would know; after all, it wasn't like his hands were stationary during one of their numerous makeout sessions. Yoh would have been lying if he said he didn't want to sleep with the boy next to him, but Lyserg had already stated almost a dozen times he wasn't interested in anything past friendship with either twin (or anyone for that matter). Also, making out counted as an activity friends usually engage in.

Did he already mention those green eyes?

Yoh was never very good at keeping secrets. In fact, as Lyserg was finishing his day, Yoh started opening his mouth. "Hey, Lyserg, listen…"

"Hmm?" Lyserg looked up, his green eyes searching Yoh's brown. Hoping he wasn't going to betray what he was going to say with his eyes, Yoh gulped. "I know we've known each other for a long time…"

"Fourish months does not count as long time," Lyserg pointed out, smiling. Yoh rolled his eyes and was going to push on when Hao burst through the patio doors.

"Hey, you two! Guess what! We should go somewhere!"

"Where?" Lyserg was instantly distracted as Yoh let out a sigh of frusteration.

"I was thinking somewhere along the coast!"

"Why?"

"Just because. It's boring just staying home."

"But today's a school day."

"For you, maybe, but not for me and Yoh. And the city's not fun enough. We've been out in the city too many times. We need to go somewhere we've never been before!"

Lyserg gave Hao a look. "You and your spontaneity. Fine. I guess I can afford to fail early in the year. Let's go now!"

…

The coastal parts of the city were on the outskirts and was about a fifteen minutes drive away from BRSJ apartments. Neither the twins or Lyserg had a car and strangely all the cabs in the city were in service at exactly the same time, so it took them around forty five minutes to walk. Of course, that included the time Hao got them lost and nearly got into a fight with a dog.

But finally, they had gotten there, but it didn't seem as glamorous as Hao had made it out to be. The beach turned out to be nothing more than a thin strip of sand flanking rocks, wood, and other trash that had washed up on the beach. Short stone walls prevented flooding and also blocked access to the deeper parts of water. Wandering over to a part where the water was open to all, Lyserg clamored into the water, letting the cold September lake run past his calves. He was really having too much fun with this, seeing as he was twenty and was currently acting like a child.

Hao was sitting on one of the walls watching over Lyserg and his brother like a responsible adult. Yoh was being a loner by himself, walking along the sand and staring at the tide, slowly becoming high. He had been so close to telling Lyserg, but now that he had time to think before he could say what he needed to say, he had started having second thoughts. Not on how he felt, because he was sure of his feelings, but how Lyserg would react. The boy had already made it quite clear that he wasn't after a relationship at the time and even infrequently called them his friends. So what was he to the Brit? After all, Lyserg knew Hao longer than he had known him, and currently the two were in a 'relationship'.

Yoh wasn't used to thinking this hard about relationships with other people that he was getting an awful headache.

"Yoh? Are you okay?" Lyserg had walked up to him when he had been too preoccupied and Yoh looked up with a start. Lyserg drew back after seeing he had startled the younger twin. "You're all by yourself and I was wondering if you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking."

"About whom?"

"Do I have to be thinking of some_one_ and not some_thing_?"

"Yes." Lyserg cocked his head to the side. "Because you had the look on your face that you were thinking of a person. Who is it?"

"I'm not telling you."

"It's not Tamao, is it?" Lyserg frowned.

"No."

"You're lying." Lyserg pouted. "I knew I shouldn't have brought her up."

"Well, that's your loss."

"Yoh!" Lyserg bent down and threw water up at Yoh, slightly drenching him in the cold lake water.

"Thanks a lot, Lyserg, now I'll be freezing and I'll catch cold and die. Happy?"

"No. I'll keep you warm." Lyserg smiled as he leaned up and captured Yoh's lips in a chaste kiss. Again, Yoh's head began to spin and all doubts seemed to vanish from his mind. "Listen, Lyserg, I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"Hey! You two!" The two turned and Hao seemed to be doing somersaults on the wall. "Get a room if you want, but just don't do it on the beach. That's so horribly cliché. And let me say one thing: sand in your pants."

"Hao, that's not what we're doing." Lyserg broke away and started walking toward Hao. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Stuff." Hao did a small back flip. Yoh shook his head as he followed Lyserg to the wall. It wasn't very tall and if Hao fell, he wouldn't die, but this was still pretty reckless. Still, his brother was pretty nimble when it came to gymnastics and he would have been a good gymnast if he didn't think being so was flakey and didn't want to burn rubber gym equipment.

"I wanna do that." Lyserg climbed onto the wall as Hao jumped off, effectively putting both twins at both left and right of the Brit. "How did you do that?"

Hao shrugged. "Skills, I guess."

"No fair." Lyserg frowned. "I want to do something cool like that." He stood up and nearly tripped on the narrow path.

"Let's try and get you across first," Hao laughed.

"Alright, but if I fall, you two have got to catch me, okay?"

"Lyserg, the wall's only three feet off the ground."

"Still."

Lyserg made his way down the wall, both twins flanking his side. He had already nearly tripped numerous times and each time, both twins had grabbed his hand, making sure he didn't fall. They hadn't made it half way down the wall and Lyserg was already laughing.

"You two are like my body guards or something, with you practically at my beck and call, you know that? Don't get any ideas, I'm not going to be paying either of you soon…"

Lyserg should have learned last time he nearly fell that he should either focus on talking or walking, for he had as much foot to wall motor skills as a rock. In his defense, the stupid seaweed should have been off the wall, but in the wall's defense, Lyserg should have watched where he was going. Stepping on his slippery obstacle, Lyserg teetered dangerously on the wall, tipping from one side to the other, an amused expression on his face. Both twins had reached out for him since it was obvious he wasn't going to be staying on the wall this time. However, which twin he fell toward was a different story. Lyserg seemed to be having fun manipulating the two, leaning toward Yoh before changing direction to Hao. Laughing wildly, the Brit let gravity have its fun as he finally lost contact with the wall.

Yoh let his hands drop to his sides and a stupid grin etch itself on his face. He should have known. Lyserg had been leaning toward him but had changed sides at the last minute and fell into Hao's arms. What was he thinking? Of course Lyserg would prefer Hao to him. They had known each other longer and besides, Lyserg preferred working with Hao anyway. Hao was right. They were just toys, nothing more. He had been stupid to think that maybe Lyserg would feel differently.

Even if Lyserg liked him, he was still being inconsiderate. Hao had been there before him, and he knew his aniki liked Lyserg as much as he did. It was obvious by the way Hao always tried to take everything further before Lyserg would somehow crush his libido. Even now, Hao was carrying the greenette bridal style, his hand inching toward Lyserg's ass. They had never made a pact, but it was a given that finders keepers – first come, first serve. He would just be selfish if he tried to take something Hao had owned first.

As if to bolster his thinking, his cell phone started ringing in his pocket. Pulling it out, Yoh turned away to scan the caller ID. Tamao?

"Hello?"

"Yoh?" Tamao's voice sounded breathless, as if she had run a mile nonstop. "Listen…are you…are you busy this Friday?"

"Um…" Yoh glanced back at the two, Hao still holding Lyserg, who was still laughing. "I think so. Why?"

"Oh…" Yoh could nearly hear the shy smile on the pinkette's face. "Um…my friend…my friend got me reservations at this restaurant for this Friday, but he can't make it…"

"_He_?" Yoh was surprised to hear the apparent jealousy in his voice. And this was coming from a person who had just announced (although internally) that he loved Lyserg. Was he just so caught up in the moment that he thought so? Surely if he honestly and truly loved Lyserg, he wouldn't feel jealous at hearing that Tamao would have gone out with another guy, right?

"Oh! It's not what you think, Yoh!" Tamao said quickly. "He's just a friend…my friend from high school. But something came up and he had to leave the city before we could have dinner. So I was wondering…maybe…you'd like to come with me? It's completely fine if you don't, of course. I have a lot of girl friends I could take with me!" Tamao's voice gave away that she suspected that Lyserg would come between them yet again. Yoh glanced at the two again, and this double take had alerted Lyserg, who had stopped laughing and was now watching him.

He cared for Tamao, he couldn't lie. He didn't like hearing that she had almost gone somewhere alone with another guy, and he had to admit he was attracted to her in a way. And if Lyserg didn't think of him the way he did, then there was no point to dwell on something that would never happen, right? He had to answer the opportunities that came knocking. He had a sure future with Tamao, whom he was pretty sure liked him a lot. He wasn't quite sure of the extent of his feelings for her at the moment, but knew they were easily changeable.

"No, I can go."

The happiness was unmasked. "That's great! Um…should I meet you there at seven or…"

Yoh blinked as he realized this was his first official date (Hao would have slaughtered him if he found out he was already twenty-three and had never gone on a date before). He had to do this RIGHT! "No, I'll pick you up." Sure he didn't have a car, but he was sure he could easily arrange something…somehow…

"Oh!" Tamao's surprise melted into excitement again. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, Yoh! I'm so glad you come with me this time!" There was a pause and Yoh almost heard the unspoken question.

"Oh, yeah, well, Lyserg won't care this time. After all, he's got someone else."

"Right. I almost forgot. Well, anyway, I guess I'll see you later!" The anxiety and anticipation in her voice was causing her to repeat like a broken record player. She seemed to be debating on how to bid him good bye. "Um…well…bye!"

"Bye, Tamao."

As Yoh hung up, Hao was the first to speak. "What was that, utouto?"

Yoh turned, finding Lyserg's eyes first, before turning to Hao. "Tamao. She asked me out on Friday."

Hao whistled. "Smooth, utouto. You gonna lay the moves on her?"

"No he's not!" Lyserg protested. "Because he's not going!"

The twins stared at him. Jumping out of Hao's arms skillfully, Lyserg turned to Yoh. "Right? Because you don't like her the way she likes you and going out with her would just be like leading her on!"

"Still," said Hao, the pimp side of him fighting to dominate. "That's a good reason."

"No…" Yoh shrugged. "I don't mind going out with her. And I'm not leading her on…really."

Well, he really wasn't. He had considered Tamao for some time and now that he could finally do something about it. Maybe they would hit it off. He wouldn't be surprised…or unwilling. Something was still nagging in the back of his mind _Hello! What about Lyserg? I thought you liked him!_...Yoh shook his head. He couldn't chase after something so uncertain when Tamao would easily agree to a relationship. Still…the way Lyserg was looking at him made him feel oddly guilty although he really hadn't done anything wrong. It made him feel like he kicked a little puppy.

Turning to the horizon, Yoh realized the sky had turned golden with the sunset, signaling the end of the day and the beginning of something new.

To be continued…

Note: Next up will be Yoh's date with Tamao! And then…Lyserg takes one of his relationships to another level! God I should go into the advertisement industry.

A few things: (1) the twisted joke happened between two people I knew. I did NOT think of it (2) the song (When the Day Met the Night) was first used to create the pilot of Pretty. Odd. So the first chapter was really based on the song, since I had originally planned on making the first chapter a one shot in itself. But now since I elongated it, the chapter no longer takes place in summer, as the song says. But oh well. Review.


	8. Pas de Cheval

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Track Nine – Pretty. Odd. – Pas de Cheval

Chapter Eight – Pas de Cheval

Yoh was just going to pick out what he was going to wear on his date with Tamao (all advice from Hao included snide remarks about how slow in the dating game he was so he booted his brother out) when he walked into the bedroom and Lyserg was sitting on his bed, staring at him.

"When did you get in here?" Yoh asked as he recovered from his mini heart attack.

"I invited myself in. You really should lock your doors." Lyserg shrugged as if what he did was completely normal. Yoh took a breath to steady himself. Honestly, if Lyserg kept up his habit, he'd get high blood pressure by thirty.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here to prevent you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Keeping a forced calm, Yoh walked over to the closet, where he had thrown all his clean clothes. As he was digging through the pile, he could nearly taste Lyserg's frustration at his playing dumb. It was palpable.

"Tamao. I don't think you should go."

"Why not?"

"Because." Yoh scoffed. "That's hardly reason enough."

"Just don't go, alright?"

"No. I told her I'd go and I'm going." Yoh looked over a shirt he picked up. A bit wrinkly, but clean. "I've been looking forward to today, truth be told."

Lyserg's disgust became verbal. "I can't believe you!"

"What? It's not like we're going out," Yoh shot back. "Like you said, making out is not synonymous to liking someone and according to you, I'm as single as the breeze. So don't be difficult and leave if you don't want to listen to me go on about Tamao, alright?" He wasn't sure why he was being so snappy but Lyserg was just being unbelievably annoying with his grudge against Tamao and his mindset that he could control him like a puppet.

Lyserg had such a surprised look on his face that Yoh nearly laughed. Well, he supposed the Brit never had someone who had spoken back to him so rudely before. But he wasn't going to be manipulated based on Lyserg's whims. He had the mindset of having an open mind when it came to Tamao and Lyserg wasn't just going to ruin his attempt at a relationship.

"Fine." Lyserg practically bounced off the bed and out the door.

…

"Hi Yoh."

"You look pretty, Tamao."

Tamao blushed, a rosy pink hue on her face. Yoh was a bit surprised that she hadn't put on any makeup, but nodded to himself as he noted that she was pretty enough without powder or eyeliner. After all, she could have easily put some one, since he was fifteen minutes late (being pestered by what to do and what not to do in the lobby by Hao). Now he stood in her doorway, looking down at her. And she was spectacular looking.

What she wore put his dress shirt and attempt at dress pants (shabby looking khakis) to shame.

Decked in a form fitting sleeveless halter top salmon pink dress (so many adjectives!), Tamao looked ready to kick some hobo ass. She blinked as she drank Yoh in with her eyes.

"Oh, am I too underdressed?" Yoh asked sheepishly. "I mean, you said fancy restaurant, but did you mean those black tie ones? Cause I could easily go back and put on one…" Internally, he wondered if he even owned one.

"Oh, no. I'm probably overdressed myself. Come in." Tamao turned and Yoh saw that the fabric sparkled in the light. Tamao looked like a pink fairy. Her apartment was nearly as messy as his was. He supposed the Starbucks job probably paid as much as Smooth E, with her middle class accessories and hand-me-down couch. This was a good sign: she wouldn't expect him to live upscale. Heck, he figured she probably wore sweats around the house like he did!

"Do you want anything to drink?" Tamao came back into the living room with a pair of flaming red heels wrapped around her wrist.

"No thanks. We can get something there. And don't those go on your feet?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to put them on until we actually leave. They're a bit uncomfortable." Tamao shrugged lightly.

"Then why do you wear them?"

Tamao stared at him. "Because."

Because must have been the excuse of the day. Yoh shook his head. Must be a woman thing.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two realized at the same time they were stalling on the thing they had met together for and decided to bite the bullet and start this date, uncomfortable as it may become.

The little dinky cab seemed as appropriate for Tamao as a skateboard to prom. Biting back guilt, Yoh tried to redeem himself by being a gentleman and opening the door for her. She didn't seem to have any problem with it, however, and Yoh realized that even if he didn't plan this, they'd probably take a cab there anyway. The two didn't make enough money to rent a limo or even a carriage and it was too far to walk.

It may have been a rocky start, but Yoh was determined not to let his first date end in flames.

...

Hao was all for making out all night but Lyserg was pouting too much to do much.

After asking for the millionth time if he could turn that frown upside down, Hao crossed his arms. "Are you upset over Yoh going out with Tamao?"

"No." Lyserg's answer was so short that it had to be a lie. And Hao was the number one lie detector, being a professional liar himself.

The two were actually at Hao's place for once, it being similar to Yoh's since both twins didn't have grant money like Lyserg to waste on extra stuff like a flat screen TV and a million gazillion plants. Hao tapped his chin as he leaned against the creaky sofa arm.

"So whatcha wanna do?"

"Nothing." Lyserg was curled up next to him, his arms wrapped around him like a mini strait jacket. He was sulking so much Hao felt like sulking himself, for different reasons, of course.

It wasn't like this a few months ago. Before he met Yoh, Lyserg was much more interesting and fun. Now he was so moody and broody when his younger brother even mentioned Tamao. Or even thought of Tamao. Lyserg was like a psychic, or at least a mind-reader.

Inspiration came to Hao. "Alright, do you want to get back at Yoh?"

Interest entered Lyserg's sulky face. "What do you suggest?"

"Something that will royally piss him off."

Lyserg opened up like a flower and leaned against Hao. "Like what?"

Hao kind of wished that the greenette would show more interest in doing stuff with him and not just getting back at his utouto. But whatever. Scheming was fun too.

"What would make him super self conscious and totally mad at us by the end of tonight?"

Lyserg pondered the question. "Well, I know wrecking his place won't make him self conscious, neither will egging it or TP-ing it…so I'm guess…we stalk him on his date?" His eyes glittered at the mention of the plot.

"Exactly baby-cakes. Let's go."

…

They had gotten to the restaurant with no problem. The cabbie hadn't asked too many questions and they had gotten by with small talk (which is always uncomfortable when you're trying not to make it uncomfortable). The restaurant they drove up to had a doorman, which intimidated Yoh for a moment. Opening the door for Tamao, he tried to pretend that yes, he was in a tux and totally belonged here. Tamao stepped out in all her pink glory and smiled at him, boosting his confidence again.

"Table for two…under Tamao Tamamura…"

Yoh stared at her. "I thought you said your friend got this for you!"

Tamao tried to act as if she didn't hear but sighed in defeat. "Actually, I really wanted to go out with you so…I…kind of made it up." She smiled sheepishly. "If you don't mind."

"No, don't worry. I like women who are assertive." Tamao's face lit up after this. After being led to a table nearly in the middle of the place, Yoh gulped as he realized people were starting to give him dirty looks. He couldn't blame them; he looked like a man off the street in this place. Sitting next to Tamao, he hoped her formal appearance made up for him. Hmm…candle light. Nice.

There seemed to be a scuffle up at the front desk but Yoh was too preoccupied at reading the menu. Not only was there not enough adequate light, but it all seemed to be in some different language.

"Yoh?" Tamao whispered, leaning over to him.

"Hmm?"

"Can you read _any_ of this?"

Yoh looked up at Tamao's panicked expression and the two of them burst out in laughter, quieting down as more dirty looks were shot at their table. The two turned back to hushed whispers as they pondered if poached caviar was something they wanted to try. Of course, all ideas of good sounding food were dashed as they realized how much everything cost.

"Yoh…"

"Hmm?"

Tamao looked embarrassed and hesitated before she spoke. "I don't think I have enough money to pay for dinner."

"I'd offer to pay but I don't think I have enough either…" Yoh reached in his wallet. "How much do we all have together?"

Yoh figured they looked pretty sketchy counting money and couldn't blame the waiter giving them dirty looks. Tamao couldn't drink yet so they both got something relatively cheap on the menu (alright, so it was four fifty for a glass): pina colata.

So they had a hundred and fifty dollars and ten cents between them. Just about enough to buy two appetizers and a main dish and have enough money for maybe some ice cream at McDonalds. Alright, if that was what they had to work with…

After they ordered, the two sat in a strained silence. They had something to talk about before, but now they were left with a blank slate. And things were getting awkward. Tamao was determinedly stirring her pina colata and pretending that everything was just fine in silence.

"So…how's school?" Aug, stupid question! But it broke the silence at least.

"School?" Tamao looked a bit out of it for a second before the idea registered in her mind. "Ah, right! Well, it's going fine. I don't know if you know this or not, but Lyserg's in my class."

"He told me."

"Oh. Okay." There was another silence but Yoh was not going to have this date ruined by these trucker-like silences. It looked like he was going to resort to elementary school ways of get-to-know-yous.

"What's your favorite color?"

Tamao's eyes widened. There was a snicker in the background that seemed totally appropriate for the question but Yoh refused to break eye contact with Tamao to glare at this person. Besides, the person probably wasn't laughing at him anyway.

"Can't you tell?"

"Orange."

Tamao looked surprised again. "How did you know? Most people would say pink. Cause my hair's pink and I usually wear pink."

Yoh shrugged. "You look like an orange person. And just because your hair's pink doesn't mean its your favorite color. By the way is it natural?"

"As my face." Tamao ruffled her hair affectionately. "I was teased a lot when I was younger for it, but I still really liked it. It was fun how everyone would need a million brown or black crayons to color their hair when all I needed was a pink. No one would need to argue with me for the pink."

"That's unusual. What color hair do your parents have?"

"My mom has brown and my dad has black."

"Oh. I thought maybe it was an albino and a redhead." Tamao stared at him for a second before laughing. "Well, I could see how you saw that. If things worked like that, Lyserg's parents would have blue hair and a blonde."

"That could be totally possible. He can be a bit of a blonde if you know what I mean."

Tamao laughed again. "There are a lot of people who aren't blonde and act like they are. I know someone at school…"

…

"Calm down, Lyserg!"

Hao had to exercise extreme strength to hold Lyserg down. They were separated from the two by a few tables and a decorative wall and a potted plant, but Hao knew Lyserg would knock them all down and slash Yoh's neck with the knife he had in his hand.

"I can't believe he compared me to a blonde!" Lyserg huffed, still struggling in Hao's arms.

"It was a mistake! A mistake! Don't ruin it now!"

Lyserg squirmed for good measure before letting Hao hold in him and collapsed in his lap. "Yeah, but it still makes me mad."

"You can confront him tomorrow."

"I will." Lyserg rested his head on Hao's shoulder. "But he looks like he's enjoying himself, doesn't he?"

"What's he gonna do, look depressed on a date?" Hao laughed. They both looked up as a waiter came up to them. "The manager would prefer for the two of you to take separate seats." He gestured to a man staring at them from a distance.

Lyserg was about to move when Hao held him down. "You don't know, but this boy is suffering from a malignant cancer. He's ready to go in a few weeks, and I promised him that I'd come here with him as one of his last meals."

"Really? And what are you to him?"

"I'm his caretaker. His parents are…" He lowered his voice as to give the image as not to tell Lyserg out loud, but the boy's ear was practically next to his mouth anyway. "…planning his funeral and cremation, so they couldn't be here. He's got it rough." As to show how hard Lyserg had it, Hao rubbed his back affectionately. Lyserg coughed to give the story more depth and was surprised how dry it sounded. Wow, he really sounded bad. "He has some outbursts of emotion though, so I tend to hold him down before he hurts himself or someone else."

Lyserg rolled his eyes, his back facing the waiter. God, Hao was laying it on thick.

"Really?" The waiter actually sounded sympathetic. "My grandmother died from lung cancer, so I know how hard it is. What kind of cancer is it?"

Hao opened his mouth to say something elaborate but Lyserg was quick to stop him. "I'm…dying from liver cancer." Sure, he sounded like a drinker, but whatever. He made his voice extremely weak and sad and he knew the waiter fell for it. That and he turned on his best puppy eyes. The waiter nodded understandingly and went up to the boss.

"Why did you say that? I was going to say you had heart cancer."

"Hao! If you say something too big, they might actually contact the paper or whatever and put our story on the front page! This place is famous for things like that! So just don't make it too severe, alright? I'm just dying." The two quieted down as the boss came by.

"How you feelin', sonny?"

"Not so good," Lyserg said, looking sad again. The boss fell for his puppy eyes too. "Well…if it will make it up to the both of you, whatever you order is on the house. After all, you won't have many chances to visit here again…and I do hope you feel better." He gave them a sympathetic smile. As they walked away, Hao pumped his arm in the air. "Yes! Lyserg, you just got us some free food!"

Lyserg grinned mischievously himself. "Great. Now let's get something and watch this dinner theater." He pointed to Yoh and Tamao, who had just gotten their food.

…

The two stared down at the three plates. They had ordered a plate of cheese and crackers (the menu said the best cheese in the city), a shrimp cocktail (with consisted of five tiny shrimp and two huge cups of dip), and what was the veal a la mode (which was actually two small veal legs covered in drizzles of multicolored sauce and some caviar at the side. Very anti-climatic.

"We paid a hundred and forty five dollars for midget food…?" Yoh muttered. Tamao giggled and poked at the veal. "Well, I guess we should eat, hmm?"

The cheese was gone in five, the shrimp gone in two, and the veal had tasted nasty with the yellow, red, green, and blue sauce and the two were presently poking at it with forks while hiding spat out pieces of caviar. Fish eggs were bitter.

"Well, so much for high class living," Yoh sighed. Tamao smiled.

"Face it, Yoh, we were meant for nothing more than jumbo coffee and cups of smoothie." The two chuckled. At that moment, the waiter returned with dessert, which happened to be some kind ice cream crepe with whipped cream.

"Oh, um, we didn't order that."

"Oh, don't worry. Someone told us this was your first date and asked us to put it on their tab." The waiter shrugged. "He asked to remain anonymous."

As the waiter left, Yoh shook his head. "Hao…always getting into my business…"

"Your brother?" Tamao looked around. "He's not here, is he?"

"He told me he wouldn't bother me today and he probably just called in or something." Yoh poked at the crepe. "Well, let's just eat this and get out of here and get some real food." He ignored the glare of a passing by waitress.

…

Lyserg was still sitting on Hao's lap, surrounded by empty plates. He hadn't eaten much; he wasn't very hungry and it would look awkward for a dying cancer patient to look ravenous. Hao, however, had practically eaten the whole place and the boss had come to tell them it was all on the house with a twitching eye. Lyserg had shot him with another puppy eyes and he went away just mumbling.

"Hao, this was fun."

"I know." The two peered out from behind the potted plant again. Tamao had nearly caught a glimpse of them but they had ducked behind the decorative wall in time. "It would be much more fun if Yoh knew we were here, though. I guess we'll just have to pop up at their table when they're done."

Lyserg laughed at the image Hao was putting in his mind.

"Hey, looks like something interesting's gonna happen."

…

The crepe had been fun to eat, even if as they tried to cut it, the ice cream would spurt out like if you squeezed a leaky water balloon. By the time they were done, Tamao was lucky she didn't have it all over herself.

Yoh was not so lucky.

"Ah, Yoh, you really have to be more careful!" Tamao chuckled as she helped him wipe all the white ice cream stains off his shirt. "I bet you were a really bad messy eater when you were younger, weren't you?"

"Not really…I didn't really eat when I was younger and my mom had to force food down my throat." Tamao laughed at that one as she scooped up the last remaining drop of ice cream. "Well, you're all clean now." She gave him such a smile so reminiscent of Lyserg that he didn't really quite think before reacting. Totally devoid of reason or common sense, Yoh leaned forward and kissed Tamao on the lips and that itself didn't really click in his mind until she responded back shyly. Only then did he realize what he had just did.

It was impulse. What could he expect by hanging around Lyserg for so long that he would just spring it on someone? This was Tamao; she wasn't used to things like this and she was super shy. He was considering pulling back but felt Tamao try to get him back in the vibe. He supposed he had frozen for a moment while thinking.

A movement caught the corner of his eye and he glanced over to it. Still connected by the lip, he saw Lyserg pulling Hao along, out of the restaurant, despite Hao's loud protests. He blinked and pulled away, causing Tamao to nearly fall on him. She looked up at him and to where he was staring, but Hao and Lyserg had left already. "What?"

"It's just…never mind." He turned back to Tamao. "Sorry, that was totally uncalled for. I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that…"

"Oh shush. I liked it." Tamao smiled shyly at him. She looked so cute at the moment that Yoh dissolved into a sheepish grin.

"That makes two of us."

…

"Lyserg! What happened to our plan? That we'd pop up and surprise him?" Hao was sprawled on the couch as Lyserg was rummaging around in the kitchen. "Then that would totally embarrass both him and Tamao! I thought that was what you wanted!"

"Yeah, but I didn't want to watch them make out!" Lyserg came out with a sour expression mingled with what looked like hurt trying to disguise itself as anger. "Whatever. I'm tired."

"Oh. Okay. I'll go then." Hao started to sit up but Lyserg shook his head and stared at him as if looking at him for the first time.

"Alright, then," Hao said, nodding. "I'll get some pillows for the couch then." After all, every time he stayed over at Lyserg's, he would always end up sleeping on the couch anyway. He didn't know why he put up with that, but like he said before, Lyserg was a magnet.

"You don't have to sleep on the couch." Hao frowned, not quite understanding what Lyserg was getting at. Surely he wasn't insinuating what Hao thought he was. Lyserg would never do that. He made that clear the first time Hao tried. "What are you talking about?"

"You can sleep next to me, if you'd like." Lyserg looked so cute with his little blush that Hao knew he couldn't say no (not that he would, mind you).

"Alright. But are you sure?" Something just didn't click in this situation, but Hao wasn't sure what.

"Very sure."

…

"I had a very nice time."

"Me too."

Tamao smiled at Yoh at her doorstep. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow…right?" Yoh nodded and Hao's voice seemed to ring at him from far away. _Utouto, the most important part of any date is the good night kiss. If you do it right, maybe you don't _have_ to say good night yet…if you get my drift._ Almost nodding to himself, Yoh leaned down and kissed Tamao again, his arms finding themselves around her waist, feeling the soft flowing fabric of her dress. Tamao hesitated for a moment again before wrapping her arms around his neck, effectively pulling them closer. Licking her bottom lip, Yoh let Tamao decide how far to take it before exploring her mouth. They remained that way for a few minutes, ignoring a woman who let out an exasperated sigh while walking past them. Yoh had a feeling that Tamao was this close to inviting him in and

He realized he didn't want to. Not that he didn't like Tamao, because he was sure he was probably crazy about her the way his heart was beating, but one stubborn part of him was resisting. Maybe next time his whole self would be on the same plane. Pulling away, Yoh kept his arms around Tamao. "Well…I guess I have to be going."

Tamao's face fell. "So soon?"

"It's ten thirty, Tamao."

"Alright, fine." Tamao chuckled, her arms still around his neck. "But I really had a good time, even without those kisses you planted on me."

Yoh grinned. "Me too. Good night then." He gave her a brief kiss again before taking his arms back. Tamao sulked for a second before pulling her arms back to unlock and let herself in.

Yoh saw her off before finally making his way back home. First date…completed and passed with flying colors!

…

Things had been good…then what happened? How could he have done that? The whole thing had been fun and games and elementary spying but Yoh had to just go ruin everything. Everything.

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I didn't hurt you? I can be much more gentle…"

"This isn't my first time, you know. I can handle you." Lyserg smiled up at Hao.

"You say that…" Hao leaned down and kissed his face gently. "But you're crying."

To be continued…

Note: this was surprisingly easy to write. I planned out this chapter and I think this one was one that I actually knew what I wanted to put in before I wrote it. Things start to go downhill for Lyserg at this point, but the next chapter has something important you do NOT want to miss! So stay tuned! Read and review, thanks and please!


	9. The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Track ten – Pretty. Odd. – The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know

Chapter Nine – The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know

The room was dimly lit, the early morning sun rays already cheerfully signaling the beginning of day. Of course, blocked by those rustic auburn curtains, they didn't do much to enlighten the room. Not that the inhabitants of the room really minded. One was asleep while the other was sitting up, staring at the wrinkled sheets on the bed.

Lyserg ran his hand over one of the various wrinkles absentmindedly, as if smoothing them out might make him feel somewhat better. As he expected, the gesture didn't. As if to make it worse, Hao shifted slightly in his sleep, creating the wrinkles again. The Brit sighed and turned to watch Hao sleep, his hair all over the place.

Noting Hao's state of undress amidst the sheets, Lyserg felt slightly guilty. After all, he realized, as he looked at himself, he was now fully clothed. Last night, after thanking Hao for a good time, he had waited into the older twin had fallen asleep, jumped out of bed and practically pulled on enough clothes that he could have been mistaken for getting ready to go out. Without them, he felt he couldn't fully sleep. What a disgrace. He had just given himself to someone and he couldn't even muster up the intimacy to sleep without clothing.

He really was a slut. But he really liked Hao (after all, he wouldn't just do it with anyone), but why did he feel like he made a mistake? It wasn't like he risked anything; he knew neither of them had anything sketchy and it wasn't either of them's first time, so why did he feel like…oh, he didn't know what he felt like. Just confused. Just thinking about it made him feel so strangely guilty that he thought he felt tears come to his eyes.

Just a year ago he wouldn't go around bursting into tears, but now it seemed like he was near to crying so often. He wasn't bottling up anything, or repressing anything, like his mother had said. He just didn't like crying. It was a dumb, girly thing to do. Shame welled up in him and he knew if he didn't start doing anything soon, he'd probably start bawling.

Maybe he would have felt better if he actually slept. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night (because he was busy thinking, perverts!) but didn't feel tired at all. His mind was too muddled to think clearly and all emotions seemed dulled. So much for sleeping on it.

He thought he had everything under control, as he liked it, but it seemed like everything these days was spiraling out of control.

Drawing up his knees up to his chest, Lyserg hugged them close in an effort to bring comfort to himself. It didn't work, as it usually didn't when he felt like this. Hao was asleep to do anything, and besides, the Asakura didn't bring much comfort anyway. Hao was a good person and all, but he just wasn't very good at making you feel better. But he tried, but Lyserg didn't want just the effort. He wanted honest-to-goodness comfort.

And Yoh was always there to provide just that. Oh Yoh…

Yoh frowned as he sat up in bed. There was someone at his door…it was only six-fifteen in the morning…who could it possibly be? Surely not Lyserg, since he never knocked that quietly before. In fact, the knocking was so quiet if his hearing had been worse, he probably wouldn't have woken up. Maybe Tamao? But what would Tamao be here for? He wondered if he left anything at her place. Well, wondering about it wouldn't solve anything. Shuffling up the door in only pajama pants, he opened the door. "Eh…morning…oh, it's you."

"It's me." Lyserg's eyes dropped to the floor as Yoh stepped aside to let him in. The twins really were different, the greenette concluded. While Hao was all buff like he worked out at the gym all the time (despite the reality where the Asakura would probably be found sleeping on his couch with a can of beer not to far from his hand), from looking at Yoh's bare chest, it seemed that the younger twin didn't eat all the time, looking thin and lanky. Not exactly unhealthy, but not like he ate every chance he got. As if sensing his uneasy, Yoh quickly went back to his room to put a shirt on before coming back out to see Lyserg sitting on the couch. "What's wrong?" Yoh sank onto the couch next to Lyserg. "Don't tell me you're holding me hostage today again."

"No." Lyserg stifled the urge to scoot closer to the headphoned Asakura (although the orange accessory was currently hanging from a hook in Yoh's room). After all, it was only last night where Yoh had kissed Tamao. The memory made him wish he had never come here in the first place, but albeit this, just Yoh's presence had cleared his mind a bit. "How was your date last night?" He couldn't stop the sarcasm in his voice, but Yoh didn't seem to mind.

"Well, you should know. You and Hao were there." Yoh sat back contently. Yes, he had been woken up way too early for his liking, but it was for Lyserg, and yes, he was going out with Tamao now, but Lyserg was still his friend, even if the latter would never admit it.

"Yeah, we were." Lyserg stared at the floor, a tired expression on his face even though he felt wide awake. "But how was it?"

"Nice, I guess." Yoh scratched his chin. "The dessert was your guys' idea, wasn't it?"

"Hao thought it would be nice if you ended things sweetly." And did they. Lyserg's heart seemed to have been plunged into an ice cold bucket and was currently numbing. Again, his mind seemed to be on a different cloud, as if he was stoned.

"How did you manage to put it all on your tab?"

"Apparently I have liver cancer and I'm a goner."

Yoh laughed. "Well, you appealed to their charity hearts, didn't you? And Hao probably was as charming as ever. That's my aniki." Lyserg didn't know Japanese, but he didn't have to ask what that meant.

Hao really was a charmer, wasn't he?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lyserg turned to look at Yoh's surprised expression and the Brit realized he must have spoken out loud. Shaking his head quickly, Lyserg quickly changed the subject although that was the very topic he had come to discuss. His courage seemed to have failed him presently. "Um, nothing! So…I'm surprised you didn't stay over at Tamao's." The familiar evil grin on Lyserg's face completely erased Yoh's notion that the Brit had been troubled, by the look that the latter had given him a few seconds ago.

"Well, I thought I wouldn't take things so quickly." Yoh looked away, a faint blush on his face. He had considered this, but ultimately felt good sleeping with the things as they were.

"But you considered it."

"Well, yeah…did you see her yesterday?" Yoh's voice seemed to get excited talking about it. "She was really pretty wasn't she?"

"She was…" Lyserg repeated slowly. Taking this as an agreement, Yoh pushed on. "Tamao's such a nice person, so I decide I'm going to take this slowly so the right foundation can be made and everything will take off smoothly."

"So you want this to be a long term thing?"

"Yeah." Yoh smiled. "I'd like that." The smile remained on his face as he thought of the potential future he and Tamao had and didn't diminish even when Lyserg had leaned up to him and kissed him softly, with reservations as if the Brit had suddenly realized what discretion was. This was so gentle and so unLyserg-like that it caught Yoh off guard as he started responding slowly, gently and realized that this was not supposed to be happening since…well, he wanted his and Tamao's relationship to work out and this would just not work!

Gently pushing the greenette away, Lyserg mood took a nosedive (albeit the way it was already down) when he saw that the carefree look on Yoh's face had been replaced by seriousness. "Lyserg, why are you here? What are you _really_ here for?" Holding the younger's shoulders so he couldn't pull anything fast or try and get away, Yoh tried to find the truth in the silence. He had a notion already; after all, he had lived with his aniki for years and had seen all the women he had brought home when their parents had been out of town and seen all their afterglows, but Lyserg's one seemed different. As if something had just dulled the shine.

Averting his eyes (after all, it never is easy admitting these kinds of things while staring in someone else's eyes), Lyserg felt the fresh, new wave of guilt and shame. "Yoh…last night, Hao and I…"

He stopped as Yoh let out a sigh. "You don't need to say anything else. It's practically written on your face." Yoh studied Lyserg's face for a minute, recognizing the familiar look of a child caught in wrongdoing. Letting the latter go, Lyserg seemed to deflate, as if he had only been sitting up because Yoh was holding him up. "And don't tell me…you feel guilty about it?"

Lyserg didn't say anything, and he didn't need to. "Why?"

"I don't know. I don't know what I feel." Lyserg just looked so dejected and very reminiscent of the way he had been acting the day of Choco's murder anniversary that Yoh instantly reacted and drew the boy closer. Cuddling against the younger twin, Lyserg closed his eyes and finally found the sleep he had been looking for all night. "I don't know what I feel but you make me feel better…"

Oh hell. What was he going to do now? He wanted to get serious about him and Tamao and now Lyserg was just making him take ten steps back. Yoh couldn't bring himself to say anything; he rarely could when Lyserg was being like this. Besides, the Brit seemed genuinely hurt. He couldn't kick someone when they were down.

Again, he felt himself opening his mouth against conscious will to confess what he had thought was just a one time thing but the spur of the moment was back and he couldn't seem to stop it and he

"Lyserg, I…"

Two things stopped him short from uttering the last two words of his intended sentence. First off, he realized that very moment that Lyserg had fallen asleep. Poor kid, probably stayed up all night (well, it was Hao, what could he expect). Second, just as he was making that realization, Hao burst through the door. "Yoh! Lyserg's missing!"

The older twin fell silent as he noticed Lyserg in Yoh's arms. That and the younger Asakura had put his finger to his mouth in the typical 'Shh' position.

"What's he doing at your place?" Hao asked, sinking onto the floor in a very guru-esque posture. _Note to self_, Yoh thought, _ask Hao if he takes yoga._

"I don't know. He just came over really early and said he wanted to talk to me." Conscious of the fact that he was still holding Lyserg gently and probably looked a bit incriminating (how would you like to wake up to see the person you shared a bed with was with someone else?), but with Hao's relatively calm expression, Yoh pushed on. Hao was always calm after a night, anyway. "He also told me what you two were doing last night."

"Ah." Hao nodded understandingly. "Not detailed, I hope?"

"Oh, no." Yoh made a face. "I'm sure I'd love to know all about that…"

"I'll tell you! First of all…" Hao chuckled as Yoh gave him a horrified look. "I'm just kidding." Hao's laughter finally died from his face and he started to look serious. "But I think something's wrong."

"Why?"

"He was crying last night."

Yoh rolled his eyes. "Hao, what have I told you about being gentle?"

"Get your head out of the gutter. For someone who hasn't gotten any, you sure do like to preach about it. It wasn't like that. It was like he wanted to do it but he didn't want to do it." Hao frowned. "Am I making any sense?"

"Like he wanted to do it but he knew it was wrong kind of thing?"

"Yeah. Exactly."

Looks like Lyserg liked to repeat his past mistakes, Yoh sighed. Chocolove's story swam to the top of his thought and he wondered if he should tell Hao about it. Hao could be surprisingly considerate about things like that. But then again, if Lyserg hadn't said anything about it, maybe it was a subject best left avoided.

"Tell me, utouto."

Yoh blinked. "Tell you what?"

"What you know about Lyserg." Hao gave him a searching look. "I know you know something I don't. I've known it ever since you guys skipped work that day. I want to know." Hao looked at him with something Yoh didn't think was possible: envy. Surely his hotshot badass brother really couldn't be jealous of him? After all, who could possibly be jealous of him when Hao was so much better off than he was? Well, he supposed that with Lyserg's feelings at stake, Hao really did care. Yoh knew Hao cared very much about Lyserg, more than he'd ever let on.

"I don't know…he didn't tell me himself. His mother was over and she told me…"

"His mother?" Humor graced Hao's solemn features for a moment. "I'm sure that would have gone over swell."

"Ag, don't mention it." The twins chuckled at this change of mood before seriousness blanketed them again. Yoh glanced over at the sleeping figure and then back at Hao, who gave him a 'go on' look.

Taking a deep breath and hoping it all turned out for the best, Yoh shook his head. "Don't tell him I told you, but a year ago…"

…

It hadn't been a dream. It was real. REAL! Yes, she had doubted it, but after seeing the dress lying on a chair and those damn painful heels thrown in a corner, Tamao was convinced.

That date last night…all REAL!

"YES!" It was a bit too early to be shouting, but Tamao didn't care. She might be crazy, but this was great. GREAT! Yoh and her finally went on a honest-to-goodness date! They had shared MOMENTS!

"Yes!" she shouted again, although more quietly as her system had enough time to digest some of the excitement. She was on her way to a future with Yoh in it! Because she was probably correct in thinking that even she felt some chemistry between them. Things were going to get better and better! She could taste it!

Or maybe it from the kiss they shared last night? No, scratch that, the TWO kisses they shared!

"Yay!" Collapsing on the sofa, Tamao was so elated she couldn't even stand. She had been in a few rocky relationships where the guy would always walk over her, but now she had found someone who respected women for who they were! Not only that, but he had passed the color test! She always firmly believed that someone who could guess her secret favorite color test was always worth knowing.

"Oh man…" Tamao grinned as she stared up at the ceiling, knowing she was still dressed in her pajamas and her hair was a royal mess. No matter. Yesterday had been awesome. Today would be awesome. Wow!

"I'm so glad you went out with me Yoh!" Tamao sighed happily, hugging herself. Did this mean they were now an item? She really hoped so! Rocketing off the couch, Tamao nodded determinately. Even if they weren't a couple now, she would make sure that was the direction they were heading!

…

Hao was still sitting on the floor, but he had looked so serious Yoh wasn't sure that was even his brother anymore. Since when was Hao all frowns and not leering smiles?

"Our little Lyserg here looks like he's not all smiles like he looks, eh?" He gestured to Lyserg, who was still sleeping in Yoh's arms. "You would think someone who talks all the time like him would at least say something about it."

"Yeah, but I guess we all have something we like to keep to ourselves."

"Hmm." Hao looked thoughtful for a moment before suddenly turning to Yoh. "How do you feel?"

"Sad for him, obviously, but…"

"Not about that. About last night." Hao stared at him as Yoh gave him a blank look. "What do you mean, Hao?"

"Don't play dumb with me. Yeah, whatever, you're going out with Tamao or whatever, but you still like Lyserg. And don't deny it," he added after Yoh opened his mouth to say something. "I know you do. I've seen how you look at him."

"And just how do I look at him?" Yoh asked sarcastically.

"Let's not turn this into an argument, utouto. Are you jealous?" The grin playing on Hao's face was adding to his taunts, but Yoh was old enough not to fall into them. Not that he really did when he was younger, anyway. Hao's jabs usually went over his head.

"A bit," Yoh admitted, not permitting himself to think about it. Just the tiniest hint made him want to attack his brother, and he had to get urges like that out of his head if he wanted to get serious with Tamao. "But I'm trying to get serious with Tamao."

"Ah. Wise choice. Get yourself out of my business." Yoh smiled, but a part of him was a bit ticked off by his brother trying to mark off Lyserg as just his own. Calm, Yoh.

Even in sleep, Lyserg seemed to sense this change in the air as he shifted and blinked himself awake. "Hmm?" Groggily, he made out Hao sitting on the floor. "Morning, Hao…what are you doing here?"

"Well, I woke up and you weren't at my side so I just had to look for you and see what I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Lyserg yawned.

"You didn't get any sleep last night? Sorry." Hao smirked. "I guess I was too much for you for one night."

Lyserg rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself, Hao."

"What?! There was someone better than me?!"

"Oh, I never said that…" Yoh felt his heart skip a beat as Lyserg cuddled closer into his warmth and chastised himself for it. What about Tamao? He was practically cheating on her and their thing hadn't even started yet! In an effort to remain true, Yoh gently pushed Lyserg off him, earning him a surprised look from the latter. Ignoring it, the younger twin walked over to the kitchen. "Well, I guess with everyone here, we should just eat breakfast here."

"You can cook?" Hao laughed.

"No, but I can toast waffles," Yoh insisted, pulling the box from fridge.

"We should do something." Both twins turned to Lyserg, who sounded rather awake for someone who had just gotten up. "You know…today. For fun."

"Yeah, I'm all for it!" Hao looked eager. "Where should we go?"

"Mm, I don't know." Lyserg glanced over at Yoh, who quickly looked away. He was feeling awake and clear-minded enough to know that Yoh was trying to avoid him. Maybe if they went out and did something his little toy would come back to him again. He knew he shouldn't have let Tamao borrow him. Now she had let it go to her head and had mutated the situation in her favor, like he had given Yoh to her. No way. He was possessive, and maybe that was his weakness.

"Let's go bar hopping!" Hao suggested. "I hope we're not all light weights!"

"In ten in the morning?" Yoh deadpanned, giving his brother a 'Really?' expression. Hao shrugged.

"I don't know. Let's just hang out all day." Lyserg smiled as he leaned into the leftover warmth still in the couch. Mmm, it smelled like Yoh. His smile grew as Hao suddenly appeared, replacing the old, cooling warmth with his own heat. At least one of his toys was still here.

"Well, we've got nothing to do." Yoh shrugged. "This whole place is your playground and everyone's your toy, so it's not like we can stop you."

Lyserg smiled as he buried his face in Hao's shoulder. Finally, Yoh had gotten the big picture!

…

Going places with Lyserg was like trying to catch a shadow. The boy's interests changed like the moods of a bipolar person and he would just leave without saying a word to either twin, causing widespread panic and a long manhunt. Of course, since Lyserg had no favorite place or habitual hangout, the whole city had to be turned over to find him. In the end, they found him, of course, where they had began. His interest had turned and he had merely been waiting for them.

"Let's go somewhere and _stay_ there for once," Yoh sighed, rubbing his temples. He was getting a headache. Lyserg was finally staying put and both twins flanked him to prevent him from taking off again. Hao shrugged. "Well, then. Let's go drinking. Cause look, utouto…it's getting dark."

"Alright fine."

"Nightclub, nightclub!" Hao cheered, earning him funny glances by people on the street.

"Let's go to a really nice one," Lyserg suggested. "Like one with live music."

Hao pouted. "Like one of those dumb jazz ones? But they're so boring and they're for _old_ people."

"Maybe. But I like them."

So they walked into the closest one. And of all the nice old people jazz clubs, they had to walk into the one Tamao was currently bartending at.

"Tamao! I didn't know you had a night job." Yoh quickly abandoned his brother and Lyserg at the door as he made his way to the bar. Tamao looked surprised before smiling widely. "Hey, Yoh! Starbucks can't pay all my rent."

"Bartending at a nightclub?" Hao asked, pulling a dejected looking Lyserg over to the bar. "I see what kind of girl you are, Tamao."

Tamao gave Hao a hard look, making the older twin chuckle. "This is _not_ that kind of bar. Which is why I'm working here."

"I can see that," Hao muttered, searching the room. He knew it. Not a hottie (other than Lyserg, of course) in sight. They were all twenty-somethings that had better things to do than attend raves or moshpits at cooler, better clubs. Or maybe they had nothing else to do. At least they weren't alone…there was more than just a handful of them in here, and currently they were all staring at the live pianist and cello player. Apparently the sax player was too preoccupied chatting up the other bartender.

"Let's sit down," Lyserg insisted, tugging at Hao's arm. Tamao sighed to herself as she saw that her classmate was still at unease around her. Would he ever come to accept her? Well, maybe she wouldn't exchange Yoh for Lyserg's acceptance, truth be told…

Yoh had been still on the barstool for so long that Tamao had started to think (hope) that he was staying with her, but he gave her another smile before leaving to follow his brother and Lyserg to a table in the far corner, farthest away from the bar. Sighing again for Lyserg's little grudge against Tamao, Yoh slid into the padded booth, next to Lyserg, who was currently cuddling in Hao's lap.

Although Hao proved to be a horrible seat, falling almost instantly asleep in the contemporary music. Yoh sighed. Hao never had been one to appreciate anything classical, or even remotely classical. He was more of a screamer/heavy metal kind of person, Hao was. And it wasn't like Lyserg was going to settle for sitting with someone who wasn't even paying attention to him, so it was no surprise that he slid into Yoh's lap next, making sure to catch Tamao's eye first before cuddling into the younger twin. Yoh seemed to squirm under him, and Lyserg wondered for a moment if he would be pushed away like that morning. Still, it seemed Yoh wasn't immune to his charms yet, because after a light kiss the resistance had stopped completely.

Luckily for both Yoh and Tamao, a customer had been ordering something at that very moment, blocking the table from view of the anxious pinkette. How was she going to fight for her man and retain some kind of professionalism at the same time? Still, she oughtn't to have worried.

"Thank you! Thank you! All requests are welcome." The pianist nodded into the microphone as the cellist gave the saxist a look. The bar filled with light small talk as the musicians provided the background music. Lyserg looked up at Yoh with a small smile. "You don't mind if I ask them to play something, do you?"

"Go ahead." Lyserg smiled again and ghosted his lips on the younger Asakura's as he slid out of the booth and headed toward the front. His head was swimming with that familiar feeling again…what about Tamao?...but there seemed to be some kind of interest here…the clashing sides were too hard to focus on. Yoh decided to let the strongest side take over so the headache that had gone away wouldn't come back. Presently, the light-headed crush on Lyserg took control, wrestling the protesting feelings for Tamao to the back of his mind, where they were locked in a bullet proof, fire proof cell.

Lyserg ignored the stares of the bar patrons as he made his way up to the tiny stage. The pianist barely acknowledged him and only nodded as he kept playing a soft piece. The cellist gave him a brief look before hurrying off stage to scold the still flirting saxist. Smiling, Lyserg laid a hand on the piano's smooth black back. He always liked pianos, never mind he couldn't play one.

"Do you have a request, miss?"

"I'm a guy, but yes, I do." The pianist looked up, scanning Lyserg again as he turned back to the black and white keys. "Can you play Boston, by Augustana?"

The pianist scoffed. "Any professional pianist who can't play that doesn't deserve to call himself a professional." He glanced at Lyserg again, interested. "Can I ask why? Someone like you shouldn't look like you like something melancholy like that."

Lyserg grinned mysteriously. "Well…it's a bit like the story of my own life…" He traced a soft figure eight on the spotless black. "And also…I'm leaving soon."

"Leaving? Where to, boy?"

"England. I'm going back home." Lyserg stared at the glare of the spotlight on the piano. "It's not like I want to, but a lot of people want me back and I still have something unfinished there."

"Ah. Do your friends know about this?"

"Of course not. They'd try and make me stay. I don't want to tell them until a few days before I actually go." Lyserg glanced back at Yoh, who was staring up at him.

"That's cruel of you, boy."

"No one said I was nice," Lyserg murmured. "Anyway, thank you."

"No problem. Good luck."

"What would I need luck for?" Lyserg chuckled as he made his way back to the booth. After a second, the beginning chords of Boston started echoing through the bar and the chatter became softer as the music started to fill the room. As he slid back into the booth (back onto Yoh's lap, specifically), Lyserg ignored the look Yoh gave him. "Your request?"

"Yeah." Lyserg buried his head in Yoh's shoulder. He felt a bit bad that he was keeping something like that from his toys, but secrets like that shouldn't be told to just _anyone_. Whatever. Yoh's comforting presence was enough to erase the guilt.

Lyserg's warmth was overpowering. Yoh wondered if he should try and restrain the confession from spilling out but any defense he had put up was instantly washed away as Lyserg leaned up for another kiss again. He never had been good a keeping a secret, after all. As Lyserg broke away, it just came out. He couldn't stop it. "I love you, Lyserg."

Green eyes widened and Yoh felt his heart race in anxiety. There. He did it. He laid his feelings out for everyone to see. Of course, maybe Hao's soft snores wasn't exactly the perfect background. A weight had been lifted and…

"Thank you." Lyserg started to snuggle back when Yoh stopped him gently. "So…how do you feel back?"

He should have known by the long silence that followed this question. He thought he knew must have known it all along. He was chasing a pipe dream. He was chasing something that would never happen. "Well…I don't think I feel the same way." Lyserg smiled at him apologetically. "I mean…I like you, I guess…but I don't think I…you know…I don't think I _love_ you. Sorry." This, like all the other apologies, didn't sound very sorry.

He really should have known better. The two of them were just Lyserg's playthings. How could anyone _love_ something they just played with? Smiling despite feeling crushed, Yoh forced a laugh. "Well…I kind of figured. I mean, with Hao and all…" Yoh shook his head. "I don't know what I was thinking. Never mind what I just said. We can just be friends." He couldn't look Lyserg in the eye at the moment, albeit the cute way the Brit was staring at him. "I'll go get us something to drink, alright?"

"Okay…" Lyserg slid off his lap slowly, regretfully, maybe…? Yoh stood up and walked over to the bar, attempting to chase the hurt and rejection away with each step. Still, at the end of the road, there was still a smile waiting for him.

"Hey, Yoh!" Tamao grinned, brightening the room up for a second. "What's wrong? You look down."

"Really? I'm fine." Yoh smiled back. "Are you busy after this?"

"Yoh, I'm flattered you'd ask me out for a date, but I don't finish until eleven thirty on weekends."

"I don't care. I'll wait for you. We can eat at 7-11's or something."

Giggling, Tamao nodded. "Well, if you want to! I'm happy to go anywhere with you, Yoh. I'm glad we can get this thing up and running. Oops, I hope you don't think I'm being forward or anything when I refer to us as a couple…cause…" Tamao blushed and started rubbing energetically at a spotless glass.

"Oh, that's fine. We are." Tamao looked up and her shocked expression was just priceless. Quickly gathering her senses back, Tamao couldn't control the blush and crazy smile on her face. "Well! Well! I guess…eleven thirty it is!"

Yoh smiled at this unmasked burst of emotion. Maybe he had made a mistake with Lyserg, but he really wasn't going to screw this up.

…

Back at the table, Lyserg was prodding Hao with a finger. Hmm…out like a light. Instead of the pout that Lyserg had expected would form on his face, a tiny smile grew instead. For all Hao's talk, the older twin never said _I love you_ before. He never thought anyone would say that to him after Chocolove.

This was becoming more interesting than he first thought.

Maybe moving back to England so soon wasn't a good choice after all.

To be continued…

Note: YES! I have OVERCOME my writer's block finally and now, this chapter! Thank you for being patient, all you who have cursed my name at the cliffhanger at the last chapter. It might sound a bit mechanic, though, I admit, because I had to ground out the setting and it was hard to get that to lead up to what I really wanted to say. Now the next chapter will also be off the radar for a bit. I actually have no idea what to do for the next chapter. I have the summaries for all the other chapters…except the next one. So the next one, Behind the Sea, will be a surprise to me as it will be to you! So stay tuned…please do wait up! Review, especially those who read and DON'T, because I'd love to hear your comments!

Note 2: I have been a bit disappointed to see people hating lately. Honestly, if you don't like yaoi, don't read. Just don't outwardly proclaim you hate it and try to make others feel bad for writing it. I haven't gotten any flames, but please do stop this arrogance or whatever you want to call it. I admit I used to be one of these haters, and I'm not asking you to change, but please be accepting of yaoi authors. Such as yours truly. Thank you.


	10. Behind the Sea

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Track Eleven – Pretty. Odd. – Behind the Sea

Chapter Ten – Behind the Sea

Ah, mornings. Yoh yawned quietly, still lying in bed. What time…he rolled over and glanced at the clock. Damn, eleven-fifteen. He was asleep for so long…then again, he had been out with Tamao late last night. He had been spending a lot of time with Tamao out late lately. Even though he knew she shouldn't really be staying out so late, what with her being in school and all…

Thinking about school, Yoh frowned as another familiar face floated past his mind, green eyes still dancing as they were a few days ago. Dammit…why was he still thinking about Lyserg? The kid already rejected him! So why was the Brit still forcing his way into almost every single coherent thought in his mind? He was already getting serious with Tamao. He was practically cheating on her with his traitorous thoughts.

Because he still liked the feeling of the greenette's lips on his…

"Augh." Yoh threw the closest article of clothing on his head, which happened to be a pair of boxers. "Stop thinking like that, Yoh!"

_I…I don't think I _love_ you, Yoh._

See? "He doesn't like you back," Yoh said out loud. "And besides, you're going out with Tamao. And things are going great. So _stop_ thinking about Lyserg!"

…great, he was talking to himself now.

…

Lyserg looked around as he sat alone in a tiny café corner. It was a bit of an internet café, with all those computer nerds with their laptops, typing away at their tables. He was a bit out of place, but this was the only other café besides Starbucks where he could meet her.

Oh, there she was. A friendly smile greeted him as she slid into the opposite seat. "Hello, Lyserg. Sorry…I was a bit busy, but I got here as fast as I could."

"Oh, no, it's okay. I've only been waiting here for a little bit." Lyserg smiled back, although it crossed his mind it might be a bit more of a grimace. She turned to a waiter who walked by and waved him by. "Hello…I'd like an espresso with a shot of low-fat cream, please." The waiter nodded and walked to the back to put in her order. Turning back to the troubled greenette, she smiled again. "So…what's wrong?"

Lyserg tried another smile and was relieved as it felt more natural than before. Yes, it was much easier to talk to her this way. She was the only woman in BRSJ that he had made friends with. She was very easy to talk to, even though she was a bit older than him. He didn't know quite why, but maybe it was because she looked friendly and her eyes were understanding, never mind they were crimson-colored. Sure, she turned a few heads with her condition, but she was the best confidant.

"I've been having a bit of relationship issues," Lyserg said slowly. "I don't have anyone else to talk to…I'm sorry, I know it's a bit troublesome calling you out in the middle of the day…"

"Oh, no, it's no problem!" The friendly smile graced her figures again. "Don't worry about it…Marco understands." Absent-mindedly, she fiddled with the gold ring on her left ring finger.

"Thanks for coming to see me, Jeanne."

…

Yoh pushed aside the junk in his fridge, searching for some milk. Ah, gin and Coke…combined was Lyserg's favorite alcoholic drink at his place. Damn! The boy had inserted himself in his thoughts again.

"Milk, milk…" Yoh muttered.

The monotonous ring of his cell phone startled him as he was practically submerged in the fridge looking for his milk. Jumping, Yoh hit his head against the fridge. Cursing silently, he fumbled around while nearly seeing stars, feeling for his phone on the kitchen counter. "Hello?" he said, hoping against all odds this person better be worth a concussion.

"Hello, Yoh?" Tamao's shy voice sounded through the phone and Yoh's pain seemed to ebb away. "Oh, hello Tamao. What's up?"

"Oh, I was wondering if you were going to work today." Tamao's hushed voice clued the younger twin in to her location. She was probably in the bathroom, sounding from the echoes in the background. Taking a bathroom break to talk to her boyfriend? Tamao was one daring chick.

"Yeah…why? You're at school."

"Hmm. Yeah, I am." There seemed to be a silence where Yoh could nearly hear the growing of a smile. "But I can play hooky."

"Tamao!" Yoh said. "You can't do that. School's school. You can't skip out on that."

"Oh yeah?" Tamao's voice took a challenging edge. "Try telling that to your friend Lyserg. He did a no show today."

Yoh blinked. "Lyserg's not at school?"

"Yeah. No one knows where he is."

A brief newspaper headline suddenly burst through Yoh's head: _Local collage student JUMPED on way to school, found dead._

_Oh please, Yoh, that's stupid. Lyserg knows this city better than the back of his hand. He wouldn't be jumped. _Still, Yoh chastised himself for caring so much. It was only natural to care for a friend, but he knew this kind of care extended past friendship. Damn, this was nearly the fiftieth time this morning!

"Well, I'm sure he's fine," Yoh said offhandedly. "He knows the place."

"Well, if you're sure. I know he's been mean to me and everything, but I'm still a bit worried…" Tamao trailed off. "Anyway, what time you going to be at work?"

"Hmm, around one."

There was a pause. "Well, I'm sure I can arrange something. See you then, Yoh!" Tamao hung up immediately, sparing her from another scolding from Yoh. Yoh stared at his phone and sighed. Still, he supposed he should be grateful his girlfriend was willing to cut school to see him.

He never knew Tamao had it in her to do so.

…

Jeanne glanced at the Italian imported watch on her wrist. "Lyserg, it's still ten-fifty in the morning. Don't you have school?"

Lyserg smiled sheepishly at her over his French vanilla. "I can miss one day of school. It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does!" For a moment, Lyserg wondered if Jeanne would stand and leave. Her face was worried, but only for a moment, because it softened into understanding again. "Well, I guess this problem of yours must be very important to skip school."

"Kind of." Lyserg took another sip of coffee, feeling the hot liquid sear this throat as he swallowed.

"What kind of problem is this?"

"A…" Lyserg knew the growing blush on his face was going to give him away but he decided to continue anyway. "…a relationship problem."

Jeanne's crimson eyes widened and an amused smile appeared on her face. "Really? Is this really you asking me, Lyserg? The one who seemed overly confident in his personal issues? What happened? Is this about Hao?"

Their meeting was a strange one. Lyserg was just getting his mail when Jeanne had walked in to get hers as well. She was shorter than him, despite how he was a bit on the short side for a twenty-year-old. Apparently, her mail box was one near the top of the boxes and she was struggling to reach it with her key.

_Funny for a teenager to be living here_, Lyserg though, watching her struggle for a minute. After a while, pity replaced amusement and Lyserg reached for her instead and got her mail. Jeanne smiled her dazzling smile at him. "Well, thank you very much. Usually, my husband gets the mail for us, but he had to leave early this morning. So I had to get it instead."

"Oh." Lyserg still wasn't welcome to the idea of warming up to other people, despite how he was already pretty close to Hao as it was at that time. It had been about a month since the Asakura moved in.

"Are you the new kid from England?" Jeanne had asked. "My husband told me about you. He's seen you in the lobby a couple of times. Usually with a certain long haired lady killer."

"Lady killer?" Hao? That was an understatement.

"Those were his exact words." Jeanne smiled again. "Long hair…a bit of a punk, he said."

"Okay…" Lyserg wondered how they had been spotted. Still, maybe PDA was a bit like a show for people here. They were all so buttoned up. "About your husband…who is he? And…you're married?"

Jeanne had stared at him for a few minutes before bursting out in laughter. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not as young as I look. I'm a bit baby faced. Some people think Marco's a bit of a cradle robber when they see us together. As for Marco, he should be unmistakable. Blonde, with glasses. He's much taller than me."

Oh, so he was the creeper who was constantly staring at them through the potted plants.

"Anyway, I've got to be going. My name is Jeanne by the way. I'm on the fourth floor. I hope we can have a nice talk like this again." She held out her hand to shake, and Lyserg surprised himself by holding out his hand too. Something about this woman seemed so friendly that his old self seemed to be waking up. She was a nice person.

"It's not about Hao," Lyserg insisted. After a thought, his face fell. "Well…not _entirely_ about Hao."

"Ah," Jeanne nodded, a knowing smile fluttering on her face. She tapped her chin with a finger. "Then this also includes Hao's twin, am I right?"

Twin? He didn't know people knew about Yoh.

"Oh, Agatha and I have tea now and then," Jeanne said, and Lyserg groaned to himself as he knew how the landlady was constantly watching him and his relationships. "And Marco usually doesn't miss the new faces."

He had only met Marco once, and he didn't seem like a bad person, but god, he could be downright stalkerish!

"Well…"

"Oooh," Jeanne said, realization dawning on her face. "I get it. This is now a love triangle. But I don't quite get it beyond that. Can you explain it further, please?"

…

"Lyserg missed school today."

Hao glanced at the clock, shaped like an apple at Smooth E. "Psh. It's only eleven. He hasn't missed school."

Yoh rolled his eyes. "Missing part of school is missing school."

"Like you know anything about that," Hao said, playing with a banana. "You, Mr. Perfect-Attendance."

"Perfect attendance?" Silva asked, perking up from cutting up mangos. "Yoh, you must have been a good student."

"Not really," Hao said, still poking at the browning, bruising banana. "He slept through most of it That should have counted as missing school, but he was physically there and they didn't count it against him."

"You were walking around outside," Yoh shot. "You can't blame them for accusing you of skipping."

"I was sick," Hao said airily, poking the banana a bit too hard, poking a hole in the fruit. Blinking, Hao pulled his finger out and threw the yellow, now destroyed, fruit into the trash. "I was coughing."

"It was cold and you were strolling outside in shorts."

"Mom washed my pants."

"That isn't the point. The point is, Lyserg's not at school and no one knows where he is." Yoh hadn't meant to dwell on this, but in a society that was now used to disappearances, he couldn't be too careful. Especially with someone as cute as Lyserg.

Damn.

"Lyserg can take care of himself," Hao sniffed, now poking at an apple. It was slow, as usual today. "Don't worry about him. He'll show up sooner or later."

"Ah, puppy love," Silva sighed. "I wish I were young again."

"Yeah, you old man," Hao said, poking the apple over the edge of the counter. Straightening up and turning to the carefree boss, he frowned. "How do you keep this place anyway?"

Silva gave him a blank look.

"You barely get any income," Hao continued, gesturing to the empty place. "Even though this is in a big ass city, no one comes in, and you hire three employees. You have to pay them and everything…so how do you keep the rent in this big place? Are you secretly rich or something?"

Silva smiled secretly. "I have my ways. I use the age old method."

At that, Hao nodded but Yoh frowned. "What does he mean?"

"Yoh, Yoh, Yoh, you child," Hao said, shaking his head. "Age old method…what is something that everyone likes to do?"

Yoh stared at his brother. "Eat?"

"You child!" Hao grabbed his brother in chokehold. "Think harder! Think…more provocative!"

"Oh." Yoh blushed and it had nothing to do with his blocked windpipe. "But Silva, I though the building owner was a guy!"

"Your point being?" Silva grinned in his usual happy-happy-joy-joy, la-dee-da mood. "It pays the rent! And you two should be talking. But then again, I guess you consider Lyserg to be a girl. He is adorable, after all."

"Oh, that's not all!" Hao exclaimed. "Yoh's now sleeping with another actual girl!"

"I am _not_ sleeping with Tamao!" Yoh protested.

"He is!" Hao insisted.

"You better not say that when she comes."

"What?! Ooh! And you accuse _Lyserg_ of skipping school!"

"Skipping school?"

"Aniki, you're _choking_ me!!"

…

Jeanne was a bit of a missionary. Although Lyserg didn't know the extent of her job, she seemed to be a mission worker, although not exactly a nun. Her husband, Marco, had helped her found the mini missionary a few blocks away from Smooth E, Holy Maiden. Jeanne herself was the logo for her missionary, and she had already recruited a few ex-soldiers to help her spread God's word. They believed in world peace, but were known to force their ideas on you. Some people called the group the X-Laws, since they were strict followers of the Ten Commandments. Some also spread a rumor that Jeanne locked herself in an iron maiden, but that were true, she wouldn't be scarless, would she?

Then again, she always wore long sleeves no matter what the weather…

Fiddling with the plastic stirs for her coffee, Jeanne frowned. "Let me get this straight…you're going back to England?"

"Yeah…" Lyserg stared down at the caramel color of his coffee, the swirling foam disappearing in the hot liquid. "I got a letter from Cambridge a few days ago…they want me back cause they've created some kind of fund for Chocolove's memory…"

His mother was wrong. He _did _tell _someone_ about Chocolove.

"…and they want me to make some kind of speech for some kind of ceremony. Fuzzy things like that. Also, they want me in court to testify against Marcus Dinka. And Matt too, cause he was a bit of an accomplice."

"I thought they had been tried."

"There was a lot of legal problems…racial attacks usually get a bit messy…" Lyserg waved a spoon around in the air absent-mindedly. "This is a retrial after a year."

Jeanne's voice got quiet. "He's been free for a year…?"

Lyserg nodded, although he could nearly hear the gears working in the young lady's head. Uh-oh, she was getting another bout of righteousness. "He's been under house arrest, though!" Lyserg added quickly. "He's had a tracer placed on him so the police know what he's been up to."

"Ah. That's good." Jeanne smiled, although Lyserg could see the misgivings in her mind.

"Anyway, that was fine, and I was willing to go back to make a dumb speech or testify. Besides, I'd get to visit his grave too. But then the school asked me to come back, saying I was one of its really good students and that I could do a lot better than the collage I'm going to now…"

"You did have a four point five GPA," Jeanne acknowledged.

"And my mother's wanted me to go back for a long time…and I know Cambridge is a really good school and I'm probably wasting my time here."

"So you said yes."

"So I said yes."

"And now the only things you have left to tie up here are the Asakura twins," Jeanne summed up. "But you haven't told them yet."

"Yeah, cause I know Hao won't let me go and Yoh will…"

Jeanne had put her cup up to her lips and lowered it slowly as Lyserg didn't answer. "Yoh will…?" she asked, prompting an answer.

"I don't know." Lyserg's voice had dropped considerably and Jeanne leaned forward to hear him. "He's already got a girlfriend."

Jeanne's eyes widened and Lyserg could almost sense the disapproval. "Lyserg, you know it's not good to covet your neighbor's wife. Although in this case it's actually your neighbor himself, but…" Normally, she would have followed the Bible and be against his relationships anyway, but after all, God was all forgiving.

"It wasn't like this all the time," Lyserg added. "It was only recently he started going out with her."

"I thought you said he liked you."

"That's what I thought too." There was a silence.

…

"Yoh!"

The bell to Smooth E jangled cheerfully, just like the girl who had entered. Signature black lace headband in hair, Tamao bounded up to the counter. She was just about high on sugar as she propped herself up on the counter and leaned forward to kiss Yoh on the cheek. "I got out of World History as fast as I could!"

"Tamao!" Yoh's face flushed as he felt the leering eyes of Hao and Silva on his back. "I told you you shouldn't skip school."

"I know…but I wanted to see you!" Tamao gave him her puppy eyes. "I know we see each other later on, but I couldn't wait today. Besides, I'm only skipping half an hour. That's not skipping school."

"Well said!" Hao shouted. "Hello, you must be Tamao. We were never formally introduced. I'm Hao Asakura, Yoh's twin brother." He extended his hand to her.

"Ah, you were the one with Lyserg." Tamao smiled at a familiar face. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Not to be outshone, Silva shoved Yoh aside. "Hello, young miss! My name is Silva Patch, and I am the owner of this store! It is very nice to meet the girlfriend of one of my helpful employees!"

Tamao giggled. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Patch."

"Please, just call me Silva! Or Silv!"

"Or Indian-Man," Hao said helpfully, pointing to Silva. "He's part Native American."

"Ah!" Tamao grinned. "Well, it's very nice to meet all of you…but! I came here to see Yoh."

"Oh!" Hao and Silva seemed to say at the very same time. "Well, you can borrow him for a few minutes! But!" Silva imitated her as he thrust one finger in the air. "You must order something from us first! And promise to advertise us to all your friends at school!"

"Done!" Tamao searched the menu for a moment. "I'll have a banana-strawberry-kiwi smoothie, please."

"Hao!" Silva slapped Hao across the head. "Go make the young lady's order!"

"Damn you, old man!"

Yoh sighed. This was like bringing home a girl. He was sure his mother would act like this, and more if he brought Lyserg home…

Tamao. If he brought Tamao home.

"So, Yoh…" Tamao leaned in the counter, as Silva did the same as if he were part of this meeting. "What do you wanna do on your break?"

"Yeah, Yoh, what're you gonna do?" Silva asked in a hushed voice.

"Would I tell you?" Yoh shoved Silva away. "Leave us alone."

"Alright, alright."

…

"Listen Lyserg…what you should do is decide. Decide which one you really like. It sounds like you like both of the twins, but maybe this threesome kind of thing is unhealthy and is clashing with how smoothly each relationship is going. If you pick one of them, the rest will just work out."

He never wanted to pick one or the other. He never had to.

"At least you haven't had the pressing issue of sex included," Jeanne said, stirring her coffee. "That would make things a lot more complicated."

Yeah, like he was gonna tell a missionary worker that he had _sex_! Really!

"So…Lyserg…please make good decisions. Holy Maiden is always there for you." Jeanne reached out and rested her hand on Lyserg's. She was always trying to make him join her cause, but he was a bit sketchy about the group who went around in white like white was the new black or something. "And remember…you're not too small to talk to God."

…

Tamao kissed Yoh good-bye. Ignoring the lecherous grins of Hao and Silva, she tasted exactly like the banana-strawberry-kiwi smoothie she had polished off a few minutes ago. Aw, screw haters. Yoh wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and let the kiss deepen on its own.

He wondered where Lyserg was. Why did he skip school? Lyserg was a total badass, he knew, but he wasn't the kind of person to skip school. And even if he did, he would have usually brought one of the twins along. So Hao shouldn't normally be here. Something like this was troubling. He kind of wished he could feel Lyserg's aura or something so he could find the Brit to put his mind at ease, maybe taking Lyserg somewhere he knew was safe and keep his close so he didn't run off again and get in trouble…that's right, keep him close and…

Tamao broke away and Yoh wondered what could be wrong. She was frowning as if he had said something offensive but he knew for a fact that not a word had escaped anyone in Smooth E for the past few minutes. Her frown deepened. "Yoh…?"

"Hmm?" Yoh let his arms tighten around her waist and she looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well…I have to go back. I don't want to fail history after all."

"Yeah. Good luck with school."

"Yeah." Tamao's smile was back as she leaned up for one last quick peck before waving to everyone and leaving. There was a silence in the whole shop before Hao broke it quietly.

"You were thinking about Lyserg, weren't you?"

…

Jeanne had left half an hour ago. Lyserg wasn't really sure why he was still sitting in the café while his coffee got cold. He should leave. But where would he go? Smooth E was definitely out; he didn't feel like facing either twin. He didn't want to go to school and risk getting yelled at for missing nearly the whole day. He didn't want to go back to an empty apartment. His wants contradicted with each other: he didn't want to see the twins, but he didn't want to be alone either.

Was he really that alone in this place without the twins?

…

Lyserg decided to skip work. No amount of time seemed to have helped him in this thinking process, so he decided to go back home. The apartment was too empty to function so he went up to the roof, where he was accompanied by only dirty pigeons and TV satellites. It was getting chilly; fall was starting to begin its regression into winter. Wishing he had at least brought up a coat, Lyserg rubbed his hands and blew on them before turning back to the city.

He had never been very religious to begin with, and regardless of his meeting with Jeanne, he clasped his hands together, a bit uncomfortable due to their coldness, and began to pray. He knew he shouldn't ask something selfish and only ask for guidance but he couldn't help the thoughts rolling out.

_Please help him understand…_

_Please make him come back to me…_

"Help me, God."

To be continued…

Note: Lyserg's very much more considerably emo in this one. Some who haven't read my last update (which changing chapter content didn't count as an update), please do. I wanted to Lyserg be more progressively depressed but I feel like I kind of changed his personality from the beginning. And that's not what I intended. This is slowly turning into one of those fugly cliché stories and I HATE clichés! And if it's not turning into a cliché, then it's imitating my Mankin Life arcs. Damn, what happened to my originality?

Cause, I think we can all almost predict the ending. I have a lot of ways to go before I can write something that'll keep everyone on the edge of their seat.

Lastly, I've checked the stats and there are more than two or three people reading this fic. And yet, I only have a scant number of reviews. Why aren't you reviewing, readers? If you haven't, please do, even if it's only pointers or jabs at my Lyserg-ness. Reviews make me happy, and me happy means faster updates. So it's in your best interest. Faster updates equals the faster this can be done and I can get to one-shots, which I like to write. Not that this hasn't been interesting. If I don't stop ranting, the note's going to be longer than the actual chapter. So review, bottom line. Thank you.


	11. Folkin' Around

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd. – Track Eleven – Folkin' Around

Chapter Eleven – Folkin' Around

It was a _really_ hot day. Unusually hot for an autumn day. Summer must have been trying to make some kind of half-assed comeback. Thankfully, Smooth E had a turn-of-the-century air conditioner that was the latest of all twenty-first century air conditioners.

So naturally, everyone inside felt like they were icicles. Even Hao seemed to have his joints iced or something because he no longer was interested in mutilating fruit. Silva seemed to have an inner heater because he was prancing around like a spring chicken.

"So, boys! How was your week!"

"Fine." Silva cocked his head disappointedly as the same word came out of all three boys' mouths at the exact same time. It was a tired, bored sounding 'fine'.

If Silva could have entered their minds at that moment, he would have lamented the death of joy and gayness (as in happiness).

Yoh was acting rather broodishly, which was against the carefree happy nature he was born with. He had been having trouble looking Tamao in the eye properly. Tamao seemed to have forgotten how awkward their last kiss was, although maybe she hadn't because they hadn't kissed recently. Did this mean their relationship was heading for the dumps already? The pinkette was still nice and easy-going, but something just wasn't the same anymore. Hao had just summed up his troubles in his observation and it always echoed in his mind every time he was with Tamao.

_You were thinking about Lyserg, weren't you?_

Hao was feeling lethargic. Like an old man. He thought that maybe he was on drugs and now he was trying to get off cold turkey. And his drug happened to be Lyserg (get it? Ha. Ha.). Something happened and he couldn't put his finger on it. Sure, they had slept with each other and took their relationship to a whole new level, but now it was like Lyserg was not like he used to be. Sure, the boy still had a smile on his face and was still as sharp-tongued as could be, but it seemed more like an act than his usual shenanigans.

And the worst thing was, he hadn't made out with Lyserg for weeks already! (sob!)

Lyserg was the youngest out of all of the people in the room, so he put it upon himself to cheer everyone up. Sure, maybe things were heading a little rocky and sure, maybe he should tell them he was going back to England in a week or two, but everything was going to be fine. It was like that in movies and TV sitcoms. And they were based on real life, so it had to happen, right? Putting on the cutest face he could, he slid up to Hao and linked arms. "Aw, Hao, why so down?"

"Because, Lyserg, we haven't made out in weeks." Hao wasn't one to beat around the bush.

"Is that it?" Lyserg gave Hao his signature Bambi eyes and watched as that did the work for him. Hao could never resist those and after a brief pause, the two were practically on top of each other. Silva let out a whistle and Yoh seemed to slide off the counter.

"And Yoh…why're _you_ so down?" Breaking away to check up on his other toy, Lyserg grabbed Yoh's elbow to try and keep steady as Hao started necking him. He nearly fell over as Yoh shrugged him off and looked a bit listless. "I'm fine."

"Fine? …ooh, Hao, not here!" Yoh wished he had his headphones or something. Anything to block out the voices behind him.

All of a sudden, the bells at the door rang, signaling the entrance of a potential customer. Yoh had to comment them, because as the first chime of the bell rang through the store, his brother and Lyserg darted to the counter as if what?-no-we-have-not-just-been-making-out. Lyserg was adjusting the apron around his neck when Tamao walked up to the counter with a friend, a dirty blonde girl with a red scarf around her neck.

"Anna Kyoyama," Yoh heard Lyserg whisper to Hao. "She's a creepy girl in our class."

"Hello, Yoh," Tamao said, a shy smile on her face. "Like I promised, I brought a customer. This is Anna. She likes to endorse certain shops, so she brought a lot of college students to Starbucks when she heard I work there. She's my friend."

Anna gave Yoh a look down. "_This_ is your boyfriend, Tamao?" Sighing disappointedly, she shook her head. "Well…you did your best."

"W-What?"

Anna finished her search of the premises. "Oh, hello, Lyserg. I didn't know you worked here too."

"Hi Anna." Yoh strangely felt like snickering at the wavering fear in Lyserg's voice. Still, this girl was quite intimidating. Even Silva had been shut up temporarily.

"I'm Hao, Yoh's brother," Hao called, obviously not afraid of this girl like most of the people in the shop was.

"Charmed," Anna said shortly, barely looking at him. "Tamao, can you just talk to your boyfriend and let's just get out of here? I bet they run some kind of black market here. There's no one here." Huffing, Anna walked over to a table and sat down, crossing her arms as she waited for Tamao to finish her business.

"Black market?" Silva whimpered, shriveling even with Hao trying to pat him on the back.

"So…Yoh…I thought that maybe we'd get together later today?" Tamao smiled again. "We haven't been seeing each other a lot lately…"

A flicker of a smile crossed Lyserg's face, but Tamao was sure it was just a trick of the light. Which happened to be flickering, spluttering, actually. Which was what Silva was doing.

"Black market," he was sputtering to Hao. "She said I ran a _black market_!"

"Calm, old man. She didn't mean any offence."

"I did," Anna called, causing Silva to whimper again.

"I'd like that." Yoh matched her smile. "I felt like our relationship was a bit stale but I'd like it to be up and going again. I want us to last."

"That's how I feel!" Tamao clapped her hands together to seal the deal. "I think we have a lot of potential and I'm sure we can get everything to work out smoothly."

"Talking about smoothie," Silva piped up, a bit half-hearted. "Care to order anything?"

Tamao glanced over at Anna timidly, who sighed loudly and walked up to the counter. "_Fine_. I'll have…a mango melon smoothie."

"Same," Tamao said quickly, looking as if she wanted the whole thing to be over soon. Yoh wondered how they could be considered friends if Tamao seemed so afraid of Anna.

"Chop it up, boys!" Silva shouted. "Satisfaction of the customer is tops!"

"I'm sure it is," Anna said. "Tell me, what else do you sell here besides drinks?"

"Um, that's it."

"Is that so? So you're not interested in me offering a few grand for some…goods?" Anna grinned evilly. "I got money."

"Miss, we only sell drinks here!"

"Hm. Well, don't say I didn't offer it." Silva gave another pitiful whimper.

Yoh blinked as he felt Lyserg brush his hand against his and keep it there a few more seconds than a mere brush. He pulled away and looked up at Tamao, who quickly turned away to talk to Anna, who was giving Silva the evil eye. Yoh turned back to Lyserg with a 'stop-that!' glare, which the boy easily deflated with an eye roll. Yoh turned and frowned to himself, feeling disappointed in himself. He was going out with Tamao, dammit!

"Here you go." Lyserg smiled rather mysteriously as he put the finished drinks on the counter. Anna took hers without a second look while Tamao reached for it, frowning a bit as Lyserg gave her a triumphant look. The pinkette could feel sparks practically manifesting in the air.

"I'll see you soon, Yoh," Tamao said, stressing every word as she tugged at Anna's arm. "Let's go, Anna!"

"Alright, fine. Bye, Tamao's boyfriend, Lyserg, Hank, and black market man."

"It's Hao!"

"I am _not_ in the black market!"

…

Other than Tamao and Anna, the number of customers at the end of the day had come down to a grand total of zero. Yoh didn't quite understand while Silva kept buying fruit. There was still a ransom of frozen fruit at the back and Silva had come back with a grin and an arm full of apples, saying "They were on sale! They were good! So I had to buy!".

Impulsive buyers these days…

"Let's all walk home together again!" Lyserg announced, latching his arms around both twin's arms.

"Yeah!" Silva leapt over to them as if he were included in this little gang until Hao held his hand up. "Hold it, old man. Who said he had to do some paperwork after work today?"

"Crap." Silva's face fell. "Well…behave, boys. I wouldn't want you to get arrested for PDA."

"Oh, right."

Walking through the cities at night was always somehow interesting. Either Hao was just asking to be run over or someone would just make some kind of pass at Lyserg, resulting in some kind of attack by Hao. Coupled with the lights and the people, it was a new experience walking down the same road back home every time.

"So how's school?" Hao asked, as he was the current twin Lyserg was holding on to at the moment.

"Fun. School's fun after you get used to the annoying people." Yoh wondered if he was imagining the hint thrown his way. "Not only that, but the people here are nice."

"Nice…like, actual nice? Or nice just to get in your pants?"

"Both!" Lyserg laughed.

"Hey, wanna come over for dinner?" Hao looked a bit full of himself for a moment. "I'm sure I can make something."

"Right," Lyserg said, looking skeptical with a half smile. "Just like last time you said that, they had to evacuate the building."

"I was trying to do that flaming wok thing! I bet they have some kind of trick in the restaurants."

"Why don't we eat out then?"

"Hmm…I'm a bit low in money lately," Hao mused, shaking his head as both Lyserg's and Yoh's mouths opened to offer to treat. "No way. It's on me tonight. Keep your money to yourselves, you selfless bastards."

"Chips and sodas again," Yoh sighed to himself, feeling a smile creep on his face as he heard Lyserg laugh. The boy's laugh was addictive.

"Shut up, little bro. It ain't gonna be drugstore food today. It's gonna be…!" Hao swept his free arm which Lyserg wasn't latched onto in the direction of the place they had stopped in front of. Which happened to be Subway.

"Subway it is!" Hao said happily. "Maybe not the cheapest, but hell, as I'm spending money anyway! Wanna go in and buy it with me, Lyserg?"

"I think I'll keep Yoh company, thanks." Letting Hao go, Lyserg scooted over to Yoh, who straightened drastically. Practically bouncing into the store, Hao left the two alone on the sidewalk, to be given sometimes odd sometimes endearing looks from passerby's.

"You okay, Yoh? You've been quiet lately." Lyserg's hyper voice toward Hao had died down to his regular teasing tone. "Did something happen with Tamao?"

"No." Yoh tried not to grimace as he felt Lyserg slip his arm around his. If he didn't stop this, he knew he would probably end up being unfaithful to Tamao in the long run. "Listen, Lyserg, I've been meaning to tell you something."

"Yeah?" Yoh started as he realized Lyserg was leaning up for a kiss and quickly ducked away. "Listen. Tamao and I are planning to get serious about what we have."

"And what do you have?"

"Don't be like this, Lyserg. You know what I mean. I don't want to sound mean or anything, but I'd like you to stop…whatever you're doing…with me. I don't know what you're trying to do, but I really want my relationship with Tamao to last, and that means…no more kissing up with someone other than her."

Lyserg's face changed for a split second before a confused look set in. "What are you trying to say?"

"You know! Don't play dumb with me, Lyserg. Stop…stop trying to come onto me, alright? It's distracting and I don't like it since I'm already going out with someone else!"

"It wouldn't be distracting if you didn't feel anything…"

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Yoh took a deep breath as he realized he was probably attracting attention by yelling. "Listen, bottom line is, stop, okay? I don't know what you're thinking when you're 'playing' with me, but listen, you've played enough. I don't want to yell at you, but I'd like you to keep your distance while I'm going out with Tamao, okay?"

Yoh never really was much of a confronter. He didn't mean for people to step all over him, but there was a line, and he was sure Lyserg had just crossed it. He wasn't going to let other people ruin his life for him! But strangely, telling Lyserg off wasn't as satisfying as he thought it would be. He felt kind of bad, actually, like he had just yelled at a little kid for something stupid that probably wasn't the kid's fault. Well, no matter. He wasn't going to be wishy-washy and apologize or anything. And he was serious! He wanted to be serious with Tamao!

"Tamao, huh?" Lyserg's voice had grown dangerously quiet and for a moment he looked like he was going to cry. Yoh resisted the comforting urge he got whenever someone else got sad and stood his ground firmly.

"Well…okay then." Yoh blinked. He was used to Lyserg's stubbornness and was a bit off guard when the boy was oddly submissive. He almost wished Hao was here to lighten the mood. It was depressing. The spark had seemingly disappeared from the Brit and Yoh wondered if he could say anything, _anything_ to cheer it up.

"Um, okay. Just so you know." Why was everything he saying coming out sounding so awkward? Cursing at his inability to make situations better, Yoh scratched his head awkwardly. "It's not that I don't like you or anything, but…"

"Yeah, I know." The boy's tone had dropped so low that Yoh wondered if maybe he thought Lyserg had spoken. "I'm sorry." Whoa, was that an apology? He didn't know Lyserg could swallow his mountain of pride like that! Did no one ever tell him off, or was he just suffering some kind of backlash from surprise? Thankfully, Hao appeared at that perfect moment with three subs.

"Dinner!" His grin twitched when he looked at the scene in front of him, a kind of baffled looking younger brother and a very damper Lyserg. "Um…did something happen?"

"Nothing. We were just talking." Yoh smiled in such a mysterious way that Hao never thought possible. "Anyway, I hope you didn't leave onions on mine. I still hate them, you know."

"Um, on second thought…" Lyserg reached out suddenly and grabbed a random sandwich in Hao's hands. "I'm not feeling very well, so I hope you guys don't mind I eat alone, tonight, right? I'm fine," he added, as Hao looked at him. "I just want some time alone. See you two tomorrow." Without another word, Lyserg set off at an unusually fast pace back to BRSJ.

"Huh." Hao watched Lyserg walk away before turning back to Yoh with a suspicious look. "What did you just do?"

"Nothing."

To be continued…

--

Note: I sincerely apologize for not updating Pretty. Odd. I know there are people reading it and waiting for the ending, but I really have been busy lately and even when I'm not busy, I keep running into walls while I write. This was supposed to be really short, since the song is really short, but somehow I couldn't get all the ideas down. But here it FINALLY is. Sorry about that. For Mankin Side of Life, I had the next chapters already down but this is very spur of the moment. So sorry if I haven't been updating beastly, but don't worry. I'll do better. So wait up, and in the mean while, review. Because reviews make me work FASTER!


	12. She Had the World

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd – Track 13 – She Had the World

---

Chapter Twelve – She Had the World

Lyserg sighed as he leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window. He didn't mean to be an emo-angsty brat, but it seemed like life was always setting him up to be such. Life was always depressing him, despite all the fronts he put up. It was bad enough his father died at an early age, when his dad was one of his big lifelines. Then Chocolove. Now Yoh. The world hated him.

Well, he supposed he shouldn't be so upset. It was about time Yoh was done putting up with how he treated him, like some kind of booty call. Yoh had too much integrity to be used like that…oh who the hell was he kidding? He really liked Yoh, never mind what he told the twin at that club. He was upset when he found out Yoh was going out with Tamao. Personally, even knowing Tamao was a good person, he figured she was too air-headed and fluffy for Yoh, but maybe he just didn't know the Asakura as well as he thought.

Hao was such a sweetie. Already, he had come visited him numerous times. Then again, it was strange that he wouldn't leave his flat for two days on end. Hao had been a comfort, showering him with attention from bringing him everything from food to soft kisses. Still, he didn't feel like telling Hao about how depressed he was, and strangely enough, the older Asakura didn't ask. It seemed to be something everyone knew not to touch up on.

Time to take the dark cloud to the living room. Well, he supposed it was normal for him to shun society after such a blow like that. He had stayed cooped up at his house when Chocolove died and the school had understood. He refused to go to school when his father died. He was that kind of mourner. But he supposed it was also healthy, cause he recovered from both those tragedies by himself. He would definitely get over Yoh at this rate.

And he had Hao too, right? Oh damn, he supposed he lied too much. It was bad enough he'd lie to those close to him, but now to himself? How horrible. Yeah, he had what others would call a 'relationship' with Hao, but it was different for him, with Yoh. Yoh was different. It _felt_ different.

When he was with Hao, he felt protected, like Hao was a force to be dealt with. But that was probably all it really was. He had a chemistry with the older twin that was unexplainable and that itself was able to unveil the affectionate side that he had hidden away after Choco's death. He supposed that Hao was such a good post to lean on, he had mistaken it for an attraction, when Hao had probably been just a good friend. But Yoh was different.

With Yoh, things were electric. It was kind of cliché, but when they kissed, there was a warmth that Hao wasn't able to produce. It was similar to how things were with Choco, maybe even better. It was hard to explain. There were no words to describe it, but if you knew how it felt like, no words were needed. Leaning his head against the couch, Lyserg felt like sleeping. He was rather lethargic lately.

The knock on the door didn't interest him and he wasn't surprised when Hao let himself in again. "Seriously, Lyserg, you should lock your doors or else someone will really come in and rape you."

"Whatever."

Hao's frown was almost palpable. "Lyserg, I don't like to see you like this. Tell me what happened."

"Nothing."

Sighing, Hao set down the offering of food on the table. "That's it. We're going somewhere and I'm gonna knock your frown upside down. It's the least I can do."

"Alright."

He didn't have to ask. Even without Hao telling him, or anyone telling him in fact, he knew Yoh was out with Tamao. The boy really meant it when he said 'STAY AWAY'. It was better not seeing him. Smiling faintly as Hao held his hand on the elevator, he wondered how things got like this. He had the world. Things were full of promise at the beginning.

"Hao, how do you feel about me?"

Hao gave him a funny look. "You know. I like you bunches, Lyserg." To make no mistake about it, he leaned down and kissed Lyserg on the forehead comfortingly. Lyserg chuckled. It was like Hao to use silly words like 'bunches'. Despite how childish he could be, Hao was a really good person and actually quite mature. They set off down the street and the weather seemed to have changed the two days he had stayed in. It was getting into the cold part of fall.

His mother had always imposed her relationship advice onto him, whether he liked it or not. One day, out of the blue, as Lyserg was going through the kitchen to get a Coke, his mother had practically dragged him to the table to talk to him.

"So Lyserg, how's the private life going?"

Sometimes he hated his mother. She was so nosy, and it wasn't like he was going to tell her anything. Even if he wanted to, there was nothing to tell. He was thirteen and he had already been asked out by a few boys in his class, despite rejecting them many times over. It wasn't like he was going to say _that_ to his mother.

"None of your business."

"Even so," Jean said earnestly. "Remember that if you play hard to get, they'll come after you more."

Like he needed reminding. Even though he wasn't playing hard to get and he was just trying his best to avoid his male suitors, they just kept coming back and coming back and coming back. There was no escaping them sometimes.

"The more you push them away, the more they come."

Yeah, he knew.

So when Yoh came along, he figured that if he played the disinterested role, Yoh would come straggling along. And that worked at first. Yoh was always at his heels, like those annoying boys back in grade school. He was so confident the cards he were playing were right, and why should he think any differently? The boys back at school persisted until he changed schools. He had practically everyone in his hand, playing their strings like puppets, and Yoh was such an easy pawn. He was very good at manipulating, and he knew the only reason everyone kept chasing him was because he kept his eyes at the sky, the clouds mirrored in his eyes as he turned a blind eye to everyone else. That part of him intrigued a lot of people. It even kept Hao in check.

He held the world upon a string, but then Yoh snapped it and escaped right through his fingers. This was a new development. No one had ever broken his spell before, and for a moment he wondered if continuing this way would work. It was the only play he knew and it wasn't like it hadn't worked before. And with Tamao as his rival, he was pretty sure he would turn the victor in this game. Everything was a game with him. People were so easy to play when you were a pretty face. And anyway, after Chocolove, he was sure he wasn't going to be taking anyone seriously anyway.

He was probably way too flashy, though. It wasn't his fault. His mother had taught him to spread his love, and he didn't think twice when he kissed someone he liked. It didn't happen often, making up for his rather forward ways, and with the twins, he wanted to kiss them all the time when he felt like it. Yoh seemed like a modest person, though, and maybe this was different for him.

And then when Yoh finally started going out with Tamao, he should have pulled out then and there. He almost did, actually, with how he was practically chasing after Yoh. Then Yoh just had to ruin it all by saying he loved him. Lyserg had figured. Everyone was like this. He reverted back to his hard-to-get personality and flat out refused it. It happened before. Yoh would be back.

So he was surprised when Yoh wasn't. in fact, it was probably his fault Yoh was avoiding him so much. He had ruined the most promising thing that had come his direction. Opportunity knocked and he had stubbornly stood it up.

He had no right to be unhappy. He had everything he wanted in life. Even if his mother acted like she wanted to disown him, she really did love him. He had a home to go back to. He had gotten into a good collage. He even had someone who was willing to stick next to him. So why was he all torn up over a minor disagreement? It was stupid of him.

"Lyserg, where do you wanna go?"

"It doesn't matter."

How had he fallen for Yoh anyway? Both twins were at the same level at first, toys that were at his beck and call. They were disposable playthings and he could have easily up and left the two of them without so much as a good-bye. Hao was intriguing and entertaining enough, but Yoh grew on him. There was a general goodness that attracted his bloody, disappointing self. He had enough faults for a lifetime and he knew he was probably just another of those pretty boys that was up to no good. He would ruin Yoh for sure.

But he was sure, that with a little work and a lot of encouragement, Yoh could change even him. Honestly, someone should suggest the boy to be a therapist or something. His optimism and personality was contagious. Hitler would have probably been a pacifist with a friend like Yoh.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look…I don't know…sad? No, depressed." Lyserg snuggled into the warmth as Hao pulled him closer on the street.

"I'm fine. Really."

"Hey look!" Hao didn't even gesture or make any notion to what he was getting at before pulling Lyserg along. "There's some sort of carnival at the park today!"

The spacious city park was today acres of coloring leaves and friendly atmosphere. A sign hung over their heads as they reached the front gates. 'The 21st Welcome Winter Celebration! Games, raffles, food, and fun!'

"Huh." Lyserg studied the blue letters on the yellow sign. "Welcoming winter?"

"Well, winter is the longest season! And Silva won't mind we if skip work a bit." Hao chuckled as he pulled Lyserg toward the park. The Brit wasn't complaining. He didn't feel like working and a bit of fresh air was sure to do some sort of good. Maybe he'd clear his head a bit with this.

There was a raffle even at the entrance of the park. A vender sat at a tiny table surrounded by a small mob. Pushing their way to the front, Hao and Lyserg stumbled through to see what all the fuss was about.

"You can win the world! Step right up!"

"The world?" Lyserg mused out loud, just in earshot of the man. Jumping on the interest, the man turned to the two. "Yes! Well…in the world, I mean that you can win passes to do anything in the Winter Celebration for free! We can't guarantee you the world, literally speaking, but…" He laughed at his own joke. "But anyway, would you like to play?"

"Whatever."

Sobering a bit at Lyserg's disinterest, the man frowned a bit before breaking out in a dazzling smile. "Fabulous! Pick a number, please!"

"Fifteen."

"Fabulous!" The man was a bit obnoxious. Kind of like Silva, actually. Lyserg smiled as he heard Hao mutter, "Old man," out of the corner of his mouth as the man reached into a jar and pulled out a slip of paper. "And the number is…lucky number fifteen! Congratulations!"

Listlessly accepting the laminated pass, Lyserg stared at it, the yellow slip with a winter scene behind the words 'Pass'. He wouldn't deny that he had some sort of luck, but it always came at such mundane, boring things.

"Let's go," Hao insisted, sensing Lyserg's depression set in again. "Come on."

Carnival games have their shine but after a while, even the glittery shimmer is gone. Lyserg stood listlessly as Hao pelted glass bottles with softballs then turned on the booth manager himself. After a while, the two were notorious in the carnival area and had hidden deeper in the park where the security guards wouldn't be able to spot them as well.

"Honestly, Lyserg, tell me what's wrong." In the silence, Hao was dogging him on the subject again.

Lyserg shook his head, grasping the warm corncob in his hand. "You wouldn't understand."

"I wouldn't? It's about Yoh, isn't it." Hao hit the nail on the head and nodded as Lyserg turned to him. The older twin knew it all along, Lyserg thought; he was just waiting for me to say it. But he wouldn't. He wouldn't say it.

"Not really."

"Not really?" Hao laughed. "Well, just say it. I can take it."

Could he?

Silence enveloped the two again as Lyserg stared at the slowly steaming cob in his hand before stopping completely in the middle of the bike path. Hao turned to him, an unusually somber look on his face and even before the words hit the cold air, both of them knew what was coming next.

"Hao, I think we should break up."

To be continued…

Note: Um, yeah. Revival. I only added a few sentences to the prewritten chapter that I left in the recesses of my computer for about six months. But I think, what the hell, I finished tutor, I may as well finish this one. I at least owe it to Panic at the Disco and their kickass album. And I should finish this before I start my Coldplay album fic, although that's more of a four-shot fic. So that's what's going down. Review or my feelings will be hurt that I worked this hard and no one bothers.


	13. From a Mountain

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd Track 14 – From a Mountain in the Middle of the Cabins

--

Chapter Thirteen – From a Mountain in the Middle of the Cabins

Books in boxes, clothing in bags…Hao straightened up again, taking a deep breath. Manual labor was never quite his thing. He had moved once, he had settled down…and here he was moving again.

"You're like an old man, Hao."

Hao turned, looking disgruntled. "I don't waste my time in the gym, Lyserg. I look good without it."

Green eyes reached for the ceiling before landing back on Hao. "You're a stupid idiot."

Hao sighed. Lyserg was always difficult, and now even more so as he sat on the island in the kitchen. "Look, I told you a million times, I don't function well with family around. I can only stand them for so long then I'd just have to get out of their vicinity. Can't stand them. Like you can't stand your folks."

"My mom, but Yoh's just your brother."

"Yeah, but you know how he gets. Blah, blah, blah. I just gotta find myself a new scene, new people, new faces. Can't stand being cooped up in once place for too long."

Lyserg sighed as he watched Hao tape the tenth box shut. He didn't have to say it and it didn't need to be said. _You don't have to do this_. "Hao, don't give me that shit about being in one place. You're only moving a few blocks away."

"It's enough distance."

"Cor," Lyserg muttered under his breath.

"What about you? When are you leasing your apartment?"

"Dunno. Soon." Lyserg shrugged, his small shoulders barely visible in the hoodie he was practically swimming in. Hao was of skinny build but he liked a lot of loose clothing. And it was comfy.

"I like this," Hao said suddenly, shoving an unidentifiable object into a box.

"What?"

"This. Us. Without the tension and the kissing. It's almost soothing. Almost." Hao straightened up again. "I mean, I always knew it would come to this. I'm much too good for you."

"That's it," Lyserg agreed sarcastically, cocking his head with a mock grin. "I couldn't stand being so inferior to you. But I agree. It is better this way."

Hao shrugged and turned to get another box to put his shit in. Although it wasn't really a lie – he had expected his fiery end at the hands of Lyserg – he wasn't so okay with it. Well, he was okay with it in a way…he knew his future didn't include Lyserg in it and Lyserg's future didn't include him in it either…but that didn't mean he was great with walking away from it all like this. He supposed it was for the best…he was the oldest, and was expected to play the mediator.

"So what're you doing when you get back to London?" the pyromaniac Asakura asked to break the tender silence.

"Mm, I don't know. I guess go around a bit and say hullo." Lyserg shrugged. Hao nodded, although only to show he was listening. He had been surprised himself that Lyserg was going back to England; the boy had sprung it on him a few days after their mess-less breakup. Surprisingly as well, Lyserg had also conveyed his message to Yoh, who had also taken it in stride. The Brit was leaving in a few days, but his flat was still packed with his stuff. Although why Lyserg was here escaped him; he was hardly helping him back.

"Hand me those pots, will you?"

Lyserg ignored him. "Come here."

It would be accurate to say Hao dropped what he was holding and walked right up to Lyserg. That boy had distanced himself from him, but that didn't mean the Diethyl had lost his hypnotic abilities on him yet. Quite unexpectedly, Lyserg draped his arms on Hao's shoulders. Almost mechanically, Hao's hands circled Lyserg's waist, but strangely enough, sparks didn't fly between them as they usually did. Hao decided to take this as a good sign. He wasn't likely to get over Lyserg at the moment, but he was getting there. They wouldn't be those messy couples who couldn't make eye contact afterwards. Maybe they would even get coffee when Lyserg returned from London, if he returned from London. Yes, things were okay.

"I'll miss you," Lyserg said softly, although there was a different strength in his voice. His eyes betrayed his sincerity although he sounded sarcastic. "If it's any comfort, I _did_ like you."

"Likewise, my boy." Hao smiled, slowly prompting one to mirror his. He wouldn't deny that he wouldn't mind jumping Lyserg right then and there, but he also wouldn't deny a part of him did. He was okay with this…this was an embrace, but the only thing they were sharing was body heat. "Likewise."

…

Yoh didn't know why his nose was in a book. He had graduated. He thought he was past waking up and finding a book on his face, trying to suffocate him. What the hell?

"Ugh." Sitting up, the magazine fell off his face. Where did he get a Home magazine? Strange, strange. Leaving the book on the floor, Yoh shuffled over to the kitchen to get something to wake him up. Maybe some strong espresso…no, he hated expressos. Why was he feeling so tired anyway? He always made sure to get eight full hours of sleep, regardless of what he needed to do that morning.

He got some coffee from out of the fridge. Out of curiosity, he turned the packet in his hands. Made in London. There's where Lyserg would be in a few days. Yoh blinked as he remembered this was what he had lost sleep over. Hmm.

He was just finishing his second cup of milk coffee when someone knocked on his door. He didn't have to walk over to the door to know who it was. "The door's open. Let yourself in."

"How incredibly rude," the snide voice he was used to greeted him. "Are you so above all others that you will no longer open a door for someone?"

"Good morning to you too, Lyserg." Yoh said between sips of coffee. "Where were you?"

"Over at Hao's, helping him back."

"How is he?"

"Fine. You know your brother." Lyserg walked straight into the kitchen and took the mug out of Yoh's hands. "Sulking and moping. You know, all that fake cheer and stuff."

"Well, aniki never was okay with good-byes." Lyserg laughed as he poured himself a cup of coffee with Yoh's mug. "Isn't that right."

Silence fell between them again, but it was a friendly silence. Sometimes silences are healthy. Filling the air with words would have congested the room. Lyserg burnt his tongue as he stared out the window of the kitchen, watching the glares from the buildings in the city.

"Are you okay with good-byes, Yoh?"

"Eh, I'm okay." Lyserg smiled in his cup as he felt arms wrap themselves around his waist. "I'll tell you who's happy to see me go."

"Who?"

"Tamao."

"Lyserg, you know Tamao doesn't hold a grudge against you."

"Says you. You said she cried when you broke it off with her."

"Yes, but she understood."

"Still." Lyserg snuggled into Yoh's body, their contours fitting quite perfectly. "I feel bad."

"Lyserg Diethyl? Feels bad?" The chuckle from Yoh was hardly shameless. "Have you discovered the guilt gene for the first time in your life?"

"Hey, don't be like that. I always feel bad when I finally get what I want. It makes me feel like a bitch."

"You are, though."

"Hey, I don't like your sass." Lyserg put the coffee mug on the counter and turned to face Yoh, turning effectively in his arms. "I can't believe you just broke it off with her, though. I thought you liked her."

"I did. I do. But I didn't want to lie to her. I like you more." Yoh pressed his forehead against Lyserg's and their breaths mingled. It didn't seem like too long ago that Lyserg had appeared in his doorframe that night, looking blank-faced and telling him straight out that he and Hao had ended whatever they had and he had wanted to be with him and he was moving to England soon and why the hell was he standing in the doorway?

…

"Um…could you repeat all that?"

Lyserg blinked. He thought he made it all clear the first time. "I said," he said, getting ready for his tirade again, "me and Hao are done. I like you, I really do. I was just being stupid. Also, I'm moving back to London in a few days time for some law issues and such. Do you want a summery? Point one…"

"Alright, I got it." Yoh leaned against the doorframe thoughtfully. "Backtrack a little, please. What about you liking me?"

"Don't do this to me, Yoh. You know I hate blows to the pride."

"Yeah, but you deserve it. Tell me what you mean."

Lyserg sighed. "I fucking like you, okay? It sure wasn't love at first sight, though, I'll have you know. You were a complete douche when I first met you. But you're okay. I don't even know what I'm talking about. But I like you. Okay?"

"How did this revelation occur?"

Lyserg sighed again, this time his exasperation evident. "Yoh Asakura, ask me one more question about that and I swear I will give up on your sorry ass."

"Sorry. Do you normally use profanity when you're mad."

"I'm not mad. I'm just frustrated. I screwed stuff up and now I'm trying to piece it all together before I go. Get my affairs in order and so on."

"Ah. So you're doing this to make yourself feel better."

"Agh!" Fed up, Lyserg leaned forward and kissed Yoh, full-frontal snogging and all. Now was not the time to be coy and playful. Things were coming to an end. He was pretty and he was odd. Get over it.

He was expecting Yoh's surprise. "Lyserg, you do know I'm going out with Tamao, don't you?"

"You made that pretty evident. Do whatever you want. You have no business going around with someone like me anyway."

"I still haven't gotten over you, yet."

"I know. Why are you so cool with me doing this now? When you were avoiding me like the plague a few days ago?"

"I think Hao rubbed off on you. Did you dump him? Because this thing you're carrying around…it's his dignity." Yoh smirked. "You must have really given him what was coming. You're practically radiating poise. I guess that also rubs off."

Hmm. Lyserg smiled lightly. Yes, he felt like a jerk when he dumped Hao, but at least the older twin was courteous about it, asking the appropriate questions and looking forlorn but both of them were thinking the same thing. _Thank god that's over._ It was complicated, what he had with Hao. But it was done now. Maybe Jeanne had the right idea; when you do something and it was the right thing to do, you feel empowered.

And he was feeling pretty goddamn empowered right now.

"What are you going to do with Tamao?" Somehow they had skated over the messy bump of their past and it seemed an unspoken truth that they had been locked together again. Or was it for the first time all this time? Neither knew.

"Only one thing _to_ do." Yoh sighed and shook his head. "It's not gonna be a pretty sight."

…

Lyserg had such a strange scent. A mix of biscuits, cigarette smoke, and potpourri. "Do you smoke?"

"It's a habit I restarted."

"It's not good for your health."

"Whatever." Lyserg shrugged. "I went through a few packs a week after Choco's death. I guess it's my way of dealing with things."

Yoh shook his head, holding Lyserg closer. "I can't tell you what to do, can I?"

"Nope."

Yoh could taste ash mingled with the taste of coffee, but he didn't really mind. Things had been rocky and were going to be rocky, but this one moment, Lyserg connected with him, was worth to let the whole thing slide.

…

Ms. Agatha Perverte sipped her chamomile and lemon tea and scanned the paper in front of her. "Mr. Asakura. Shame you're leaving."

Hao gave her his winning smile. "I don't stay in once place too long."

"Are you a traveling salesman?"

"Wrong. Drug-farm entrepreneur."

Ms. Perverte laughed. "You were one of my more amusing tenants, you know that? I like you."

"Sorry, not interested."

The landlady laughed again. "I like your tongue. In tough times like this, we all gotta hold out our own sometimes. How are you?"

"Ah, not doing so well." Hao scratched his head in search for words. "We all got our ups and downs sometimes, grandma. You were young once."

"Alright, no jokes about my age, young man! There are other people."

"I'm thinking of taking a break from those kind of things, ma'am."

"Grandma one minute, ma'am the next! Hao, how are you wired?"

"Don't hold me up. I got places to go, people to see." Hao winked.

"Alright, then, go…go, go, go!"

…

"Hey, Yoh, ol' buddy! Why're you ringing me up now?"

"Horo, the game's over."

"Is it?! Wait, I gotta call Ren…Ren! Ren, come over here! Yoh's done!"

Even thought the Chinese was quiet, Yoh could still hear the scathing voice. "Finally. Your dumb friend took long enough."

"Oh, shush. Hold it, Yoh, I'm putting you on speaker."

There was a pause. Then a rather loud, "Okay, tell us. What happened?"

Yoh opened his mouth, but before he continued, he blinked. "Is someone else there besides you and Ren?"

"Pirka, but she's in it too."

"Dear god, who else?"

"Well…we would prefer not to have the whole neighborhood in on it…but I think your mom made some bets too."

Yoh sighed. He knew it was a bad idea to let Horo pull him to the side when the Usui and Ren left to go back home. "This thing with you and Tamao and that Lyserg chick…tell me how it turns out, okay? Ren and I have made some bets."

"Who'd you effing pick, Asakura?!" Pirka's shriek sounded from the background. "Hurry! We got money and concert tickets riding on your answer!"

Yoh paused for effect. "And the lucky winner is…"

"Alright, who are you calling this time?"

Yoh turned to see Lyserg standing behind him with his hands on his hips. There was a loud pause on the other end of the phone before Pirka's shriek reverberated again. "It's Lyserg-chan! See, me and Ren told you, onii-chan! Alright, alrighty, fork up the five hundred and the Green Day tickets. You've held them for so long."

"No way, Yoh! I thought you were smitten with that Tamao girl!" Horo shouted over his sister. "I've lost a couple thousand! You know how high Ren bets!"

"You should have known," Ren's voice sounded, although rather hushed compared to Pirka's loud celebration.

"Good job, Yoh!" Pirka shouted, sounding as if she had pushed her brother and Ren away. "I'm proud of you!"

Before Yoh could reply, Lyserg grabbed the telephone. "Alright, alright, what's all the ruckus about?"

He nodded for a few times before grinning. "Well, I hope you enjoy the concert…Pirka, was it? No hard feelings, Horo." Ending the call with a beep, Lyserg turned to Yoh. "Interesting friends." He blinked and a mock anger appeared on his face. "But you bet on your outcome? You complete loser."

Yoh shrugged. "If it makes you feel better…I got a hundred from the bet too."

"How much did you bet on Tamao? I know you did. You play things carefully."

"Um…then I don't get anything after all."

Lyserg glared at him. "You, my friend, are destined to be alone for the rest of your life."

"Oh come on. Don't get mad."

To be continued…

Note: For those following this, next chappie is the last one! Wow, big turn of events! I cut out all signs of fluff. Can't be breaking my new years reso so soon, eh! Personally, I like this new not-traditional Lyserg. He makes me smile. I hope he makes you smile. Review, for the end is at sight. Kind of nostalgic. It's been about half a year. This thing took about HALF A YEAR to finish. Maybe longer. I'm done rambling…now it's your turn! So REVIEW.


	14. Mad as Rabbits

**Disclaimer: If Shaman King were mine, I wouldn't need to write fanfics. If any of these songs were mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.**

Background music: Pretty. Odd – Track 15 – Mad as Rabbits

**Minimal fluff 09!**

--

Chapter Fourteen – Mad as Rabbits

Tamao sighed. So this was what it felt to be dumped. She wasn't completely crushed, as she sort of saw this coming and masochistically continued on the path, but she wasn't happy-happy-joy-joy either. She just wanted to be alone for a few minutes, compose her thoughts and what not. Yoh had been a nice person; he'd called her out and blunted said they needed to talk. Staring out at the campus below her feet, Tamao wondered how many other people had heard those stupid four words. It almost always signaled an end, unless the other person was proposing. And somehow, meeting on the corner of West 24 and Buckingham at ten at night and walking to the closest Dairy Queen didn't seem very marriage material.

Yoh had been very cordial about it, saying the right things, it's-not-you-it's-me and something along those lines. He hadn't really gone in detail about it, but Tamao knew it was all Lyserg. Honestly, she would have to be pretty dim not to know Yoh still had feelings for that Brit and that time he kissed her at the smoothie shop he was thinking about him, not her. She had known for such a long time but pretended not to notice because Yoh didn't seem to notice and she just decided to play along if that's what he wanted.

And then he brought her a dipped cone at the end. So he wasn't a complete ass.

It was lunch break at the university and she had just said goodbye to Lyserg, who was meeting Yoh at lunch. Oddly enough, Lyserg actually seemed guilty (yes, _guilty_, what was the world coming to?!) despite not bringing up anything on the topic. She supposed he knew it was a sensitive subject.

She thought it would work out! She thought Yoh genuinely liked her! Before she started doubting, she thought they had a future! Things were great! Things were awesome! Things were over now and it was too late. It was for the best, if he was going to pine after Lyserg anyway. She didn't want to be double crossed.

"Ah, I just wanna be happy!" she shouted to the wind. "I wanna be happy and meet a great guy who'll only look at me and only me! I wanna be happy! Right now!" Everyone thought she was the quiet, shy one and only Anna knew of these occasional times where she let her reservations go and shout to the world. Because sometimes, everyone just needs to get something off their chest and proclaim it to the world. She had no one to go to; Anna would tell her boys were jerks (typical feminism), her parents would get all defensive and demand to meet Yoh, everyone else was just on friendly speaking terms, and everyone at work just regarded her as 'that pink-haired employee'. So who could she spill her troubles to but the _world_?

"I just wanna be happy! Right! Now!"

"I wanna new PC!"

Alright, who just broke it? Turning on the new voice, Tamao was startled to see the shortie of the class, what was his name…oh yes, Manta Oyamada. Although Manta wasn't a midget, he really wasn't the tallest guy either and he just went up to Tamao's shoulder. Which was saying something as Tamao wasn't the tallest girl in the world either. Yes, it was college, and yes, they were mature, but poor kid still got beaten over by his height. Some speculated his height was stunted due to the huge book he always carried around. Grinning sheepishly, he met Tamao's eyes. "Sorry, was it over?"

Speechless, Tamao watched him until he walked up to her to the railing. "I was trying to find a quiet place to study as the library is run with those cramming jocks and I overheard you screaming your lungs out on the roof."

"Sorry."

"No worries. What's wrong? Bad breakup?" Manta grinned sympathetically, although personally he wouldn't know how it felt.

Tamao shrugged. "You could say that."

"Total jerk, huh."

"Not actually." Tamao sighed as she leaned over the stone railing. "He just didn't know he liked someone else."

"So he cheated on you?"

"But I knew about it." Tamao shrugged again. "It's okay. It's going to be okay, at least. I'm fine with it."

"But you were screaming about being happy," Manta said rationally.

"Could you stop dissecting my words? What are you, some physiology major?"

"Sorry, and yes, I'm studying the human mind."

Tamao didn't care. This guy wasn't condescending or jerkish; he seemed sincere although rather blunt. In other words, he was no Yoh, that's for sure. She found she didn't mind him so much. There certainly was worse.

"I think we all want to be happy," Manta mused, although this was a well established fact. "Everything we all do, we do it for happiness. When we say we're helping the happiness of others, we just are doing it for ourselves. We're a bunch of selfish people looking out only for ourselves. There's no such thing as selflessness; we do things to make ourselves feel better. Sometimes it doesn't work out.

"But who knows, maybe it's better that way."

Tamao glanced at Manta. This kid had a way of words. Yes, he just made the human race seem like a pack of pricks, but with a spring of parsley on top. And he had a point. Maybe it was better off she wasn't with Yoh. She would interrupting his own happiness, which he wouldn't find fully if he stayed with her. She had let him go so he could be happy himself.

And in her human selfish way, she was happy she impacted someone like that.

Sometimes everyone has to be selfish.

"What's my favorite color?" Tamao asked suddenly. It was a random, serendipitous question that most would give her an odd look about. Manta took it in stride.

"Orange, right? Cause it can't be pink because it's too obvious. You seem like an orange kind of person."

Tamao blinked. For the record, only Yoh had known, had sensed. It was a question that threw many men off before and would probably again, but anyone who answered it right on the first try was worth a second look.

"Hey, wanna go out for coffee sometime?"

"M-me?!"

…

Airports were a place for goodbyes and salutations. It was a place where hearts were broken and hearts were mended. It was the beginning of a long journey and the end of an adventure. It was a place to spring from and a place to land safely. In life, it is a place that filters people to where they must go, where fate takes them.

Yoh and Lyserg happened to be in such a place.

"Must you insist on walking me to the terminal? You know the security guards must think you're a terrorist."

"Do they really? I guess I should buy some souvenirs then."

Lyserg nearly swung his suitcase at Yoh. "That made _no_ sense just now."

"London is only a few hours away, right?"

Lyserg sighed. "Yes, it's only a few hours away."

"You'll be back, right?"

"I don't know." They sidestepped a mob of people who had just landed. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

"The world's not such a big place. I'll find you eventually."

"What are you talking about, Yoh? The world's fucking huge!"

They neared the terminal and a pleasant female voice announced that the flight to London was boarding. Lyserg's steps quickened and Yoh had to jog to keep up.

"Lyserg, I'm serious. I'll go with you to London."

"Don't be difficult, Yoh, it's something I have to do by myself." Lyserg crashed to a stop and turned to him. "I'm going to settle things off with Choco's murderers and tie up some loose ends. If all goes well and I don't like it there, I'll come back. Plain and simple."

"What if you_ do_ like it there? What if you meet someone better?"

"You're just going to have to trust me on that one."

"But I don't trust you!" Yoh burst out truthfully. Lyserg laughed. He hadn't been one to epitomize truthfulness, after all.

"Do you believe in past lives?" Lyserg asked suddenly, leaning forward flirtatiously. Yoh frowned, but before he could answer, Lyserg continued. "Don't you remember when I was a bird and you were a map?"

"…Meaning?"

"I'll always come find you again eventually. _If_ I want to, that is." Lyserg laughed as Yoh gave him a pained look. "Don't be mad. It just makes everything more exciting doesn't it?" Giving Yoh a quick kiss on the cheek, Lyserg picked up his stuff and in another minute, was like he never existed. Yoh blinked. That boy hadn't even left a scrap of paper to prove he was really there. The plane flew off in the distance, as background.

He sighed. Maybe he should just go get a cinnamon bun from the food court.

"He'll come back. Or maybe not."

Yoh turned. Hao had appeared out of nowhere like the stalkerish older brother he was. "How did you get in? I didn't think they let in strangers without a plane ticket!"

"They don't let in strangers. They let in lady killers though." Hao grinned mysteriously and flashed a scrap of paper with (no doubt) a young lady's number on it. "I pulled a few strings. Am I too late? He's gone, isn't he?"

"Yeah."

"What were you expecting?"

Yoh shrugged. The two had set off to find some strong coffee for the day, earning looks of interest and awe as twins are always something to be ogled at. "I don't know. Seeing as it's Lyserg, definitely not something like some sort of mushy goodbye or something like that. More like, he'd just knock me across the head before leaving."

"Did he?" Hao chuckled. "Love like that doesn't exist anymore, get it in your cliché head, Yoh! We've reinvented love! Tough love is in. Lyserg isn't a _girl_ after all."

"True." Yoh glanced out the window. He couldn't even see the plane anymore. Just about a year ago, he was cooped up in his mother's house living life in the slow lane and now he was embroiled in such an exciting city, surrounded by people as mad as rabbits. Definitely like something out of a block buster hit. He didn't know he was someone to partake in something like that.

"Outoto! Fork over the Master Card!"

Then again, what did he expect? Life was just like Lyserg: sometimes pretty, all the times odd.

Owari

Note: Finally done! Sorry for such a copout ending. I know I was leading up to a great ending or something, but this is what I planned and this is what came out. It took me SO long to finish this and I'm just glad I'm still alive. There were a few references: 1) when Tamao shouts about being happy, it's a scene I (sorta) stole from the movie The Motel which isn't that great of a movie, but it was my favorite scene. 2) lots of song references to Mad as Rabbits, if you've ever listened. Again, I'm really sorry if the ending is not what you expected. But now it's 2009, I'm not one to make a fluffy ending. Lyserg goes, shazam. It wasn't going to be a Friends kind of finale. So…really, thanks for reading so much. Some MantaTamao for anyone who cares…review. Because I'm finally done so you can cry with me.

Shameless advertisement: Purchase the music of Pretty. Odd by Panic at the Disco at your local music store!


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